Coming Home
by Marvelguy00
Summary: After the events of "Come Back", the Crystal Gems accept two new entries in their team, as Steven tries to show the new members of his family the beauty of his world, the fondations of Homeworld are violently shaken by the disappearance of one of its leaders... meanwhile something malignant starts to awake, something powerful and ancient, hidden at the very center of the world...
1. Chapter 1: A new home

**CHAPTER 1: A NEW HOME**

"I'm so happy you came back…" Steven whispered in Pearl's ear as he hugged her tightly.

"Me too Steven… me too…" Pearl said as she buried her face in his hair and hugged him back.

Steven and Pearl held each other for what it seemed to be hours, just enjoying being there for each other, just enjoying the fact that the nightmare they had been moving through during the last days had finally come to its end. There wasn't any ship in the sky, there wasn't any Jasper of Yellow Diamond, there wasn't any Homeworld… indeed, Homeworld hadn't been defeated, but right now it didn't matter, there were just the two of them, finally together, free from the nefarious Homeworld leader's grasp.

"I'm… so sorry Pearl for what I have done… I wish I could be stronger…" Steven said as he lowered his head, he couldn't still believe he had actually hurt his family.

"Steven!" Pearl almost yelled, startling Steven, who flinched back a little.

"P…Pearl?" Steven asked as she gently placed a hand on his cheek.

"Don't even think it's your fault… you couldn't do anything against her…" Pearl said as Steven clenched his fists.

"That is the problem! I'm… I'm just too weak…" Steven said, but just as he tried to lower his head, Pearl gently raised it and gave him a slight kiss on the forehead.

"Hold your head high Steven… what would have happened if you weren't there to help me? What would have happened if you hadn't changed Peridot's mind? You are strong Steven, stronger than you think, you can do things we could never do… me, Garnet, Amethyst, we could have never changed a Homeworld gem, but you could do it! And you did it twice! In both Peridot and Lapis we couldn't see anything but enemies, but not you! You always manage to look beyond our differences and see the beauty in each of us! And you had been strong enough to break Yellow Diamond's grasp and come back to us… believe me Steven, I couldn't be prouder of you…" Pearl said as Steven looked at her, a slight smile now on his face.

"Thank you Pearl…" Steven said as they both stood up.

"You are welcome sweetie… now come… Garnet and Amethyst are going to be back soon…" Pearl said as she and Steven began to walk towards the house.

As Steven climbed up the stairs, he stared at the mirror in which Lapis's gem was embedded. He hoped Lapis was ok, he couldn't imagine how much scared she had to be right now, trapped inside of another prison, after such a short time passed being free. Pearl opened the door and sat on the couch as Steven put the gems on the table but kept the mirror in his hands. He looked at its back and saw the beautiful blue, tear shaped gem stuck into it. How could be Homeworld so cruel? After some moments, he placed his hand o it and began to pull. After some moments, the gem broke away from the mirror. As soon as it did, the mirror shattered and the gem began to raise in the air. Pearl and Steven both watched as a thin silhouette formed around it. As the flash of light vanished, Lapis fell on her knees. Almost strengthless, she was going to fall on the floor but Steven managed to catch her before it happened. She slowly raised her head and, as she saw who was helping her, her eyes went wide. She moved her hand towards Steven and rested her hand on his cheek, as if she was trying to understand if what she was staring at was real. As Steven laid his hand on hers and smiled, she gritted her teeth as countless tears began to stream down her face. She immediately wrapped her arms around him and embraced him tightly.

"It's ok Lapis… you are safe now…" Steven said as he hugged her back.

Lapis couldn't believe her own eyes, she was really out of the mirror, she was free but most importantly, she was with Steven, the only person she had truly ever loved. She didn't know what had happened while she was trapped in the mirror, she was too afraid to even open her eyes, but know, she was safe, she was safe and she couldn't just let him go, she didn't want to, she didn't want anything bad to happen to him again, all what had happened to her, it was just too much, and even if she wanted, she couldn't just stop crying, but as Lapis continued to sob loudly, suddenly an idea popped in Steven's mind. As he continued to hug her, he gently began to sing.

 _"_ _She was trapped in a mirror_

 _And it couldn't be clearer_

 _She wanted to leave this place_

 _And get herself back in space_

 _And someone may be thinking she's a criminal_

 _But her friendship comes through subliminal_

 _Lapis Lazuli, you fled into the bottom of the sea_

 _Lapis Lazuli, you were so mad, but then you came around me_

 _Lapis Lazuli, you may be scared but now, I am here…"_

Steven continued to hum the melody as Pearl watched the two with a weak smile on her face, he truly was Rose Quartz's son, always so loving and caring. Steven heard Lapis's sobs becoming more and more calm, until she stopped and slightly pulled away from the embrace, looking at Steven, and even if a few tears were still streaming down her cheeks, now she was smiling.

"Thank you Steven… it was wonderful…" Lapis whispered as Steven gave her a bright smile.

"No problem Lapis, we are always beach summer fun buddies, right?" Steven said as Lapis chuckled and hugged him once more.

"Of course, we will always be…" Lapis said gently.

Suddenly, a bright light came from Amethyst, Ruby and Sapphire's gems. Both Steven and Lapis stood up alongside Pearl and watched as their gems began to raise in the air. Their bodies began to reform and soon enough, Amethyst, Ruby and Sapphire landed on the floor.

"You're back!" Steven yelled joyfully as he ran towards Amethyst, Ruby and Sapphire and brought them into a tight embrace.

"S-Steven? A-are you…" Ruby began to speak but was cut off by Amethyst who raised Steven in the air, whirling him around as she laughed.

"Of course he's ok! We won!" Amethyst said while she continued to laugh alongside Steven.

"Are you ok?" Ruby asked Sapphire as she smiled her and nodded, then she took her between her arms and whispered in her ear.

"You know… we should be celebrating too…" Ruby said smirking as Sapphire blushed.

Suddenly, Ruby began to swirl her around, and as the two of them laughed and embraced each other, a bright light engulfed them as they began to raise in the air. After some moments, Garnet landed on the floor. Amethyst stopped whirling Steven in the air and put him down.

"Dude what happened on that ship?! I can remember you kicking our-" Amethyst said before being cut by Pearl.

"Amethyst!" Pearl hissed as she looked at Steven, whose smile began to fade, and then at her again.

"Hey don't worry Steven! It wasn't you! Plus, you don't hit so hard you know…" Amethyst said chuckling nervously as Pearl slapped her forehead.

"Well, Pearl managed to make me come back, after that we stood against Yellow Diamond, but Pearl's gem was cracked…" Steven throat became a little dry as he talked.

"I tried to defend her with my bubble but Yellow Diamond broke it, she was going to kill us, but then Peridot hit her with a destabilizer… she let us escape and… and she made the ship explode…" Steven said as Amethyst, Lapis and even Garnet's mouth fell agape.

"Are you serious?!" Amethyst almost yelled but calmed down as Garnet put her hand on her shoulder and moved towards Steven.

"Steven…" Garnet said as she kneeled down in front of him.

"Y-Yes?" Steven answered with a shaky tone of voice, frightened by what Garnet was going to tell him, but his fear vanished when she placed her hand on his cheek and gave him a slight smile.

"You never stop to amaze me, Steven, your mother would be so proud…" Garnet said as Steven smiled back.

After some moments, Garnet raised he gaze and looked at Lapis, her smile faded away as she stood up and began to walk towards her. Lapis began to step back until she stood against the door, she knew that Steven would have never let her hurt her, but she couldn't deny that she was afraid of the fusion who was now towering over her.

"Lapis… I need to talk to you… in private…" Garnet said as she gestured the door behind her.

Before the both of them could go out, Garnet felt something wrapping around her leg. She looked down and saw Steven, who was now embracing her leg and looking up at her with pleading eyes. She kneeled down once more and laid her hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry Steven… I'm not going to hurt her… just wait here…" Garnet said as Steven sighed in relief.

Garnet stood up and opened the door, letting Lapis out of the house, then, she followed her on the deck and closed the door behind her. She looked at Lapis, who had now her arms crossed and was staring at the ground. Garnet approached her and as she reached her… she extended her open hand at her. Needless to say, Lapis was shocked by what she was staring at. She looked for some moments at Garnet's hand and then, slowly, she shook it with hers.

"Thank you… for your help…" Garnet said as Lapis lowered her head.

"I did it for Steven… and for him only…" Lapis said as Garnet sighed slightly.

"That's why I'll let you go…" Garnet said as Lapis raised her face and looked at her in shock.

"W-what?" Lapis asked, being puzzled by what Garnet had just said to her.

"You helped us and protected Steven, if you want, you can stay, but if you want, you can leave, Steven gave you freedom and I'm not going to take it from you, do as you wish…" Garnet said as Lapis looked at her, then at the sea, then at the sky.

Lapis closed her eyes and lowered her head, she sighed heavily and then, suddenly, she formed her wings. She turned around but as she heard Steven calling her. She saw him opening the door and rushing towards her. When he reached her he embraced her legs and buried his face in her stomach. After some moments he looked up at her with tears in his eyes.

"Please Lapis, don't go! Stay here!" Steven pleaded as Lapis looked at him, tears in her eyes as well.

"Steven, this, this isn't my home…" Lapis said as Steven grabbed her hands.

"That's not true! Home isn't a place!" Steven cried as Lapis's eyes went wide.

"W-what?" Lapis asked in disbelief.

"Home is where you feel safe, where you are free! Home is where you have people that care about you! That love you! And I care about you Lapis! You don't know how much you mean to me! Please, I… I know that you don't really like the gems but… they are great! Trust me, just… just stay here for awhile and you'll see that they aren't bad! They care about me just like you do! If only you could stay here for a while you would see that your differences are nothing in comparison to what you have in common! Please Lapis… stay with me…" Steven said as tears began to flow from her eyes. It was true, how could she be so blind? So… selfish? How could she have even thought to leave him? Steven was her home, and as long as they would have been together, she would have been happy, no matter where she would have been.

"Steven…" Lapis whispered as she kneeled down and embraced him tightly.

"D-does this mean t-that you'll stay?" Steven said as he gently pulled away from the embrace and looked at her.

"Of course…" Lapis said as she ruffled his hair.

"Yay! Now we are even a bigger team!" Steven said bouncing happily, but eventually calmed down.

"Ehm… I mean… if… if you want… to be part of… our team…" Steven said as Lapis looked at Garnet who nodded.

Lapis stood up and closed her eyes, she placed her hands on her chest and suddenly, a light blue star appeared on the top of her dress. Steven looked at her with stars in his eyes as she slightly chuckled. She knew that it wouldn't have been easy at first, being around the gems who kept her in that mirror for ages, but she also knew that being with them, she could have helped them protecting Steven, and this was the only thing she cared about now. Steven, Garnet and Lapis entered the house shortly after the discussion. As they entered, Pearl and Amethyst's eyes went wide as they saw Lapis, who was now wearing the Crystal Gems's symbol. Pearl quickly got up from the couch.

"W-why is she wearing Rose's symbol?!" Pearl hissed between her teeth.

"Because now she is part of our team…" Garnet replied calmly.

"WHAT?!" Pearl cried in disbelief.

"Pearl…" Garnet said, trying to calm her down.

"No! She hurt Steven! H-how can you let her wear Rose's symbol after what she had done to her son!" Pearl cried angrily.

"You mean after she saved all of us from Jasper trapping herself under the ocean? Or after she fought against Yellow Diamond and risked her life for Steven?" Garnet replied calmly.

"I mean after she almost drowned him!" Pearl yelled clenching her fists to her sides.

"I already said I was sorry for that! I wasn't myself! I was scared because of you attacking me for no reason! Steven forgave me so why can't you do that?! I forgave you for what you have done!" Lapis yelled back.

"I kept you in that mirror because you are a Homeworld gem! I had my rights! But you tried to kill my baby!" Pearl shouted, she knew that Lapis only wanted to protect Steven and was conscious of what she had done for him, but even if she was going to sacrifice her own life for him, she couldn't just forgive her for having hurt Steven.

"Pearl please stop!" Steven said reaching her.

"Steven stay out of this!" Pearl said gesturing his room.

"No! This is about me! Listen… it's true… Lapis tried to hurt me but she did it only because she was scared… I know how much you care about me but, please Pearl, she risked her own life… just like you did for my mom… don't… don't you think she would have forgiven her?" Steven asked as tears began to stream down Pearl's face, she knew that Steven was right, but hearing him talking about Rose, she just couldn't bear it.

"S-she doesn't even care about the Earth!" Pearl screamed, but a deadly silence fell in the room when everyone heard what Garnet said.

"And you fought alongside Rose because you cared about the Earth right?" Garnet said as Pearl's eyes went wide.

Pearl ran towards the temple's door, disappearing into her room, her face buried in her hands. Steven tried to catch her but wasn't fast enough. As he reached the door, he began to pound on it.

"Pearl please! I'm sorry!" Steven shouted but stopped when Garnet placed her hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry Steven… she knows you are right… she just needs her time…" Garnet said giving him a weak smile.

Steven tried to convince himself of that, as Garnet began to cook something, after all, it was dinner time, Amethyst went to her room after thanking Lapis for what she had done. She admitted that without her, they probably would have been already dead. After dinner Garnet greeted Lapis and Steven and entered her room, needing a break after all what had happened.

"So… ehm… Lapis… d-do you want to stay here or-" Steven tried to ask but Lapis cut him off with a soft giggle.

"I'll just stay down here for tonight Steven, thank you…" Lapis said laying down on the couch.

"Oh… ok… good night Lapis!" Steven said before hugging her.

"Good night Steven…" Lapis whispered before letting him go.

Steven went under his covers and quickly fell asleep, but not Lapis, she never enjoyed sleep, she always dreamed about her imprisonment, so she just laid on the couch for a while. After some hours, Lapis got up and silently climbed the ladder of Steven's bedroom. As she reached his bed, she gently sat down and looked at him with a slight smile, he seemed so peaceful, even after all what had happened. Suddenly, she heard a noise coming from behind her, she turned around and noticed Pearl, who was standing on the top of the ladder, staring back at her. Lapis began to stand up but Pearl stopped her gesturing her to remain seated.

"No… stay…" Pearl said as she sighed and sat down next to her.

"I'm… I'm sorry for the way I acted before…" Pearl said staring at the ground.

"I don't blame you for that…" Lapis replied coldly.

"No… no… but… you should… to many times I questioned Steven's decisions and every time I did… something bad happened to him… I'm… I'm sorry…" Pearl said lowering her head, but as she felt a gentle touch on her shoulder, she suddenly raised it and stared at Lapis.

"If… if there is a thing that Steven taught me… it is to watch beyond people's faults and forgive them… even if their faults seem to be unforgivable…" Lapis said lowering for a moment her head.

"He… he… he is amazing… isn't he?" Pearl said smiling softly at him.

"He sure is…" Lapis whispered laying gently her hand on his hair.

The day after, Steven met his dad, who had just come back to town after the evacuation that morning. Greg spent almost an hour hugging Steven and checking him for injuries, and the same did Connie, during that afternoon, when Steven opened the door and found himself on the ground, arms wrapped around him, the small girl sobbing slightly with her face buried in his neck. As the days passed, Lapis began to become nearer to the gems and finally, with a little help from his beach summer buddy, she became friends with them as they earned her trust, and she earned theirs. She finally saw the Earth as her new home, she didn't really like it all that much, but as long as Steven would have been there, she would have never wanted to be elsewhere. One evening, Steven was sitting on the beach, looking at the sea.

"Steven?" Pearl said as Steven turned around.

"Oh, hi Pearl…" Steven said smiling weakly.

"Is something wrong?" Pearl said kneeling down beside him.

"No… it's all right…" Steven said as he looked down.

"Are you… sad because of Peridot?" Pearl asked smiling weakly to him.

"I just wish… she didn't… I wish she was here with us now… she was good…" Steven said looking at Pearl.

"I know Steven… I was wrong… she cared about you and none of us will never forget what she had done for us…" Pearl said as she caressed his hair.

"Thank you Pearl…" Steven said as a small smile grew on his face.

"Do you want to come in with us? We were thinking about creating a room for Lapis in the temple… we would really like you to help us…" Pearl said hoping to cheer him up. "I'd like to help… I'll reach you…" Steven said smiling to her, as she did the same and began to walk towards the house. "Thank you Peridot…" Steven whispered as he smiled, looking at the sea… and his smile grew even bigger… when he noticed a green light… coming from the waters.

"P-Peridot?!" Steven yelled in disbelief as he saw the green light coming from the sea.

Steven ran as fast as he could towards the source of the light, he plunged into the waters up to the neck and finally sunk his head underwater. What he saw… made him happier than even… a green gem, enlightened by a bright light… a thin silhouette forming around it… but… something… wasn't right… her physical form was much smaller than before, now she was as tall as Steven and her robotic arms and legs had disappeared, revealing much more shorter but normal limbs. Steven quickly grasper the green gem by her shoulders and dragged her on the beach.

"Peridot?! Peridot can you hear me?!" Steven yelled as he gently shook her by her shoulders.

"S-Steven?" Peridot whispered as she slowly opened her eyes.

"Steven!" She yelled as she fully woke up and understood who was holding her, but as she tried to get up, she fell back groaning in pain and, suddenly, her body form glitched.

"Peridot… your gem!" Steven yelped as he noticed a crack in her gem.

"Oh… oh m-m-my… i-i-is it c-c-cracked?!" Peridot began to panic after Steven said that.

"D-don't worry! I can heal you!" Steven said as he licked his hand and moved it towards Peridot's forehead, which was still without her visor.

"S-Steven wh-what a-are y-" Peridot tried to talk but was cut off by a strange sensation on her gem, she shivered but after some moment… she felt extreme relief as her gem returned intact… but there was something wrong.

"W-wait… I… I healed you… why… why are y-your arms and l-legs still missing?" Steven asked raising her head gently, noticing that the gem's limbs were still shortened.

"T-those weren't my real arms a-and legs…" Peridot replied embarrassed.

"T-they must be still somewhere underwater…" She whispered, she always considered herself like a normal gem… but deep down… she had been always ashamed of her... form.

"D-don't worry Peridot! Garnet! Amethyst! Pearl! Help!" Steven cried.

"Steven!" Garnet yelled as she opened the door and jumped down on the beach.

"G-Garnet please! You have to help her! H-her a-arms and l-legs… they are still underwater!" Steven panicked as Garnet remained motionless and stared at Peridot.

"Garnet please! I'm begging you!" Steven pleaded as Garnet looked at him.

Garnet slowly nodded and got up. She knew that Peridot was their enemy and that she even tried to eliminate them… but she also knew that without her not only Steven but all of them would be gone. She walked towards the sea and jumped in the water. Steven continued to comfort Peridot as he waited for Garnet to return. After some moments… Garnet jumped out the water holding four, busted, robotic limbs.

"Steven… take these… I'll help her…" Garnet said as she gave Steven the robotic parts and put her arms under Peridot, raising and holding her as they moved towards the house.

Needless to say, everyone in the house was shocked when they saw Garnet holding the familiar Homeworld gem. Pearl and Lapis jumped off the couch and Amethyst let the sandwich she had in her hands fall on the ground.

"G-Garnet?" Pearl questioned as Garnet approached her.

"Pearl… I know this will be hard… but you are the only one who knows and understands something about Homeworld's technology… can you help her?" Garnet asked as Pearl's eyes went wide.

"Pearl… please…" Steven asked as Pearl hesitated, but then, as all what had happened before came to her mind, she sighed and nodded.

While Amethyst and Lapis stomped away and entered their rooms, unable to bear the presence of the gem who imprisoned and tried to kill them, Garnet laid Peridot on the couch, then she leaved the room, leaving Pearl and Peridot alone. Before leaving, Garnet reassured Steven, saying that Peridot would be okay, but that Pearl needed to concentrate so, maybe he could have gone to Greg, or called Connie to spend some time with her, and maybe talk to them about Lapis and Peridot, since both of them still didn't know about their presence in Steven's house. Steven slowly nodded and went out the house. Pearl silently materialized out of her gem some of the tools she used to help Greg fixing his van, after all the times she helped him, she decided to keep some tools for her, especially after Greg forgot them during the last three times he asked for her help. Pearl kneeled down beside her and began to work. After some hours, Pearl managed to attach the robotic limbs to Peridot, also fixing the broken components. As she was going to finish her work, fixing the last broken cables in Peridot's left arm, she raised her gaze and saw the green gem looking at her with wide eyes.

'How can she be so capable in this kind of operations?' Peridot thought looking at Pearl with bewilderment in her eyes.

"So… am I still a clod?" Pearl asked giving her a teasing smile as Peridot looked away and whispered something.

"I'm sorry… I think I didn't hear you…" Pearl said as Peridot clenched her teeth.

"I said… thank you…" Peridot whispered as she heard the white gem slightly chuckle.


	2. Chapter 2: Welcome home

**CHAPTER 2: WELCOME HOME**

"Steven…" Lapis whispered as she kneeled down and embraced him tightly.

"D-does this mean t-that you'll stay?" Steven said as he gently pulled away from the embrace and looked at her.

"Of course…" Lapis said as she ruffled his hair.

"Yay! Now we are even a bigger team!" Steven said bouncing happily, but eventually calmed down.

"Ehm… I mean… if… if you want… to be part of… our team…" Steven said as Lapis looked at Garnet who nodded.

Lapis stood up and closed her eyes, she placed her hands on her chest and suddenly, a light blue star appeared on the top of her dress. Steven looked at her with stars in his eyes as she slightly chuckled. She knew that it wouldn't have been easy at first, being around the gems who kept her in that mirror for ages, but she also knew that being with them, she could have helped them protecting Steven, and this was the only thing she cared about now. Steven, Garnet and Lapis entered the house shortly after the discussion. As they entered, Pearl and Amethyst's eyes went wide as they saw Lapis, who was now wearing the Crystal Gems's symbol. Pearl quickly got up from the couch.

"W-why is she wearing Rose's symbol?!" Pearl hissed between her teeth.

"Because now she is part of our team…" Garnet replied calmly.

"WHAT?!" Pearl cried in disbelief.

"Pearl…" Garnet said, trying to calm her down.

"No! She hurt Steven! H-how can you let her wear Rose's symbol after what she had done to her son!" Pearl cried angrily.

"You mean after she saved all of us from Jasper trapping herself under the ocean? Or after she fought against Yellow Diamond and risked her life for Steven?" Garnet replied calmly.

"I mean after she almost drowned him!" Pearl yelled clenching her fists to her sides.

"I already said I was sorry for that! I wasn't myself! I was scared because of you attacking me for no reason! Steven forgave me so why can't you do that?! I forgave you for what you have done!" Lapis yelled back.

"I kept you in that mirror because you are a Homeworld gem! I had my rights! But you tried to kill my baby!" Pearl shouted, she knew that Lapis only wanted to protect Steven and was conscious of what she had done for him, but even if she was going to sacrifice her own life for him, she couldn't just forgive her for having hurt Steven.

"Pearl please stop!" Steven said reaching her.

"Steven stay out of this!" Pearl said gesturing his room.

"No! This is about me! Listen… it's true… Lapis tried to hurt me but she did it only because she was scared… I know how much you care about me but, please Pearl, she risked her own life… just like you did for my mom… don't… don't you think she would have forgiven her?" Steven asked as tears began to stream down Pearl's face, she knew that Steven was right, but hearing him talking about Rose, she just couldn't bear it.

"S-she doesn't even care about the Earth!" Pearl screamed, but a deadly silence fell in the room when everyone heard what Garnet said.

"And you fought alongside Rose because you cared about the Earth right?" Garnet said as Pearl's eyes went wide.

Pearl ran towards the temple's door, disappearing into her room, her face buried in her hands. Steven tried to catch her but wasn't fast enough. As he reached the door, he began to pound on it.

"Pearl please! I'm sorry!" Steven shouted but stopped when Garnet placed her hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry Steven… she knows you are right… she just needs her time…" Garnet said giving him a weak smile.

Steven tried to convince himself of that, as Garnet began to cook something, after all, it was dinner time, Amethyst went to her room after thanking Lapis for what she had done. She admitted that without her, they probably would have been already dead. After dinner Garnet greeted Lapis and Steven and entered her room, needing a break after all what had happened.

"So… ehm… Lapis… d-do you want to stay here or-" Steven tried to ask but Lapis cut him off with a soft giggle.

"I'll just stay down here for tonight Steven, thank you…" Lapis said laying down on the couch.

"Oh… ok… good night Lapis!" Steven said before hugging her.

"Good night Steven…" Lapis whispered before letting him go.

Steven went under his covers and quickly fell asleep, but not Lapis, she never enjoyed sleep, she always dreamed about her imprisonment, so she just laid on the couch for a while. After some hours, Lapis got up and silently climbed the ladder of Steven's bedroom. As she reached his bed, she gently sat down and looked at him with a slight smile, he seemed so peaceful, even after all what had happened. Suddenly, she heard a noise coming from behind her, she turned around and noticed Pearl, who was standing on the top of the ladder, staring back at her. Lapis began to stand up but Pearl stopped her gesturing her to remain seated.

"No… stay…" Pearl said as she sighed and sat down next to her.

"I'm… I'm sorry for the way I acted before…" Pearl said staring at the ground.

"I don't blame you for that…" Lapis replied coldly.

"No… no… but… you should… to many times I questioned Steven's decisions and every time I did… something bad happened to him… I'm… I'm sorry…" Pearl said lowering her head, but as she felt a gentle touch on her shoulder, she suddenly raised it and stared at Lapis.

"If… if there is a thing that Steven taught me… it is to watch beyond people's faults and forgive them… even if their faults seem to be unforgivable…" Lapis said lowering for a moment her head.

"He… he… he is amazing… isn't he?" Pearl said smiling softly at him.

"He sure is…" Lapis whispered laying gently her hand on his hair.

The day after, Steven met his dad, who had just come back to town after the evacuation that morning. Greg spent almost an hour hugging Steven and checking him for injuries, and the same did Connie, during that afternoon, when Steven opened the door and found himself on the ground, arms wrapped around him, the small girl sobbing slightly with her face buried in his neck. As the days passed, Lapis began to become nearer to the gems and finally, with a little help from his beach summer buddy, she became friends with them as they earned her trust, and she earned theirs. She finally saw the Earth as her new home, she didn't really like it all that much, but as long as Steven would have been there, she would have never wanted to be elsewhere. One evening, Steven was sitting on the beach, looking at the sea.

"Steven?" Pearl said as Steven turned around.

"Oh, hi Pearl…" Steven said smiling weakly.

"Is something wrong?" Pearl said kneeling down beside him.

"No… it's all right…" Steven said as he looked down.

"Are you… sad because of Peridot?" Pearl asked smiling weakly to him.

"I just wish… she didn't… I wish she was here with us now… she was good…" Steven said looking at Pearl.

"I know Steven… I was wrong… she cared about you and none of us will never forget what she had done for us…" Pearl said as she caressed his hair.

"Thank you Pearl…" Steven said as a small smile grew on his face.

"Do you want to come in with us? We were thinking about creating a room for Lapis in the temple… we would really like you to help us…" Pearl said hoping to cheer him up. "I'd like to help… I'll reach you…" Steven said smiling to her, as she did the same and began to walk towards the house. "Thank you Peridot…" Steven whispered as he smiled, looking at the sea… and his smile grew even bigger… when he noticed a green light… coming from the waters.

"P-Peridot?!" Steven yelled in disbelief as he saw the green light coming from the sea.

Steven ran as fast as he could towards the source of the light, he plunged into the waters up to the neck and finally sunk his head underwater. What he saw… made him happier than even… a green gem, enlightened by a bright light… a thin silhouette forming around it… but… something… wasn't right… Steven quickly grasper the green gem by her shoulders and dragged her on the beach.

"Peridot?! Peridot can you hear me?!" Steven yelled as he gently shook her by her shoulders.

"S-Steven?" Peridot whispered as she slowly opened her eyes.

"Steven!" She yelled as she fully woke up and understood who was holding her, but as she tried to get up, she fell back groaning in pain and, suddenly, her body form glitched.

"Peridot… your gem!" Steven yelped as he noticed a crack in her gem.

"Oh… oh m-m-my… i-i-is it c-c-cracked?!" Peridot began to panic after Steven said that.

"D-don't worry! I can heal you!" Steven said as he licked his hand and moved it towards Peridot's forehead, which was still without her visor.

"S-Steven wh-what a-are y-" Peridot tried to talk but was cut off by a strange sensation on her gem, she shivered but after some moment… she felt extreme relief as her gem returned intact… but there was something wrong.

"W-wait… I… I healed you… why… why are y-your arms and l-legs still missing?" Steven asked raising her head gently, noticing that the gem didn't have forearms or the lower part of both her legs.

Peridot looked away from him, ashamed of having showed Steven her true form… in fact… after the production of the pearls had been stopped on Homeworld after the rebellion… a new type of technician was created… the peridots… but due to the lack of resources after Rose's rebellion… her gem was manufactured in such a way… to cause a malformation of the body structure… at first Homeworld's scientists wanted to obliterate such a failure… in fact, the malformation affected not only the body… but the gem's base abilities too… like the one of summoning a weapon… but Yellow Diamond noticed something… peridots's incredibly advanced mind… so… in order to permit the technicians to use their abilities… Yellow Diamond gave Homeworld's scientists the order to mass produce robotic body parts equipped with weapons in order to allow the harmless gems to defend themselves.

"T-they must be still somewhere underwater…" Peridot whispered, she always considered herself like a normal gem… but deep down… she had been always ashamed of her... form.

"D-don't worry Peridot! Garnet! Amethyst! Pearl! Help!" Steven cried.

"Steven!" Garnet yelled as she opened the door and jumped down on the beach.

"G-Garnet please! You have to help her! H-her a-arms and l-legs… they are still underwater!" Steven panicked as Garnet remained motionless and stared at Peridot.

"Garnet please! I'm begging you!" Steven pleaded as Garnet looked at him.

Garnet slowly nodded and got up. She knew that Peridot was their enemy and that she even tried to eliminate them… but she also knew that without her not only Steven but all of them would be gone. She walked towards the sea and jumped in the water. Steven continued to comfort Peridot as he waited for Garnet to return. After some moments… Garnet jumped out the water holding four, busted, robotic limbs.

"Steven… take these… I'll help her…" Garnet said as she gave Steven the robotic parts and put her arms under Peridot, raising and holding her as they moved towards the house.

Needless to say, everyone in the house was shocked when they saw Garnet holding the familiar Homeworld gem. Pearl and Lapis jumped off the couch and Amethyst let the sandwich she had in her hands fall on the ground.

"G-Garnet?" Pearl questioned as Garnet approached her.

"Pearl… I know this will be hard… but you are the only one who knows and understands something about Homeworld's technology… can you help her?" Garnet asked as Pearl's eyes went wide.

"Pearl… please…" Steven asked as Pearl hesitated, but then, as all what had happened before came to her mind, she sighed and nodded.

While Amethyst and Lapis stomped away and entered their rooms, unable to bear the presence of the gem who imprisoned and tried to kill them, Garnet laid Peridot on the couch, then she leaved the room, leaving Pearl and Peridot alone. Before leaving, Garnet reassured Steven, saying that Peridot would be okay, but that Pearl needed to concentrate so, maybe he could have gone to Greg, or called Connie to spend some time with her, and maybe talk to them about Lapis and Peridot, since both of them still didn't know about their presence in Steven's house. Steven slowly nodded and went out the house. Pearl silently materialized out of her gem some of the tools she used to help Greg fixing his van, after all the times she helped him, she decided to keep some tools for her, especially after Greg forgot them during the last three times he asked for her help. Pearl kneeled down beside her and began to work. After some hours, Pearl managed to attach the robotic limbs to Peridot, also fixing the broken components. As she was going to finish her work, fixing the last broken cables in Peridot's left arm, she raised her gaze and saw the green gem looking at her with wide eyes.

'How can she be so capable in this kind of operations?' Peridot thought looking at Pearl with bewilderment in her eyes.

"So… am I still a clod?" Pearl asked giving her a teasing smile as Peridot looked away and whispered something.

"I'm sorry… I think I didn't hear you…" Pearl said as Peridot clenched her teeth.

"I said… thank you…" Peridot whispered as she heard the white gem slightly chuckle.

 **Here we go with the second chapter guys! Hehe you thought we wouldn't have given it to you until another week? Well here it is, I hope you have liked it and I think I'm talking even for my collaborator when I'm saying thank you very much for your appreciation, you have become so many after just one chapter and this is simply marvelous, for any question just ask in the reviews, and as always, we'll see you, in the next chapter! Bye!**


	3. Chapter 3: Lonlyness

**CHAPTER 3: LONLYNESS**

While Amethyst and Lapis stomped away and entered their rooms, unable to bear the presence of the gem who imprisoned and tried to kill them, Garnet laid Peridot on the couch, then she leaved the room, leaving Pearl and Peridot alone. Before leaving, Garnet reassured Steven, saying that Peridot would be okay, but that Pearl needed to concentrate so, maybe he could have gone to Greg, or called Connie to spend some time with her, and maybe talk to them about Lapis and Peridot, since both of them still didn't know about their presence in Steven's house. Steven slowly nodded and went out the house. Pearl silently materialized out of her gem some of the tools she used to help Greg fixing his van, after all the times she helped him, she decided to keep some tools for her, especially after Greg forgot them during the last three times he asked for her help. Pearl kneeled down beside her and began to work. After some hours, Pearl managed to attach the robotic limbs to Peridot, also fixing the broken components. As she was going to finish her work, fixing the last broken cables in Peridot's left arm, she raised her gaze and saw the green gem looking at her with wide eyes.

'How can she be so capable in this kind of operations?' Peridot thought looking at Pearl with bewilderment in her eyes.

"So… am I still a clod?" Pearl asked giving her a teasing smile as Peridot looked away and whispered something.

"I'm sorry… I think I didn't hear you…" Pearl said as Peridot clenched her teeth.

"I said… thank you…" Peridot whispered as she heard the white gem slightly chuckle.

"Well, you are welcome…" Pearl replied keeping her gaze and hands on the still not functional limb.

"How can you even comprehend this kind of technology?" Peridot asked with curiosity as she stared at the white gem who was now near to finishing her job.

"I'm just basing myself over what I apprehended from the technology of your pod, after we found it I began to study it…" Pearl replied as Peridot began to move her fingers.

"You… fixed my damaged body parts…" Peridot said as she looked at her in bewilderment.

"Of course… is it hard to believe?" Pearl asked as a small smirk formed on her face.

"I didn't think that archaic drones like you could even comprehend modern gem technology… neither that a defective one could do it…" Peridot replied calmly as she looked at her fixed body parts, but soon, her calm composure changed into an alarmed one as she felt a cold blade on her throat.

"Listen carefully Peridot… you are here only because of Steven… whatever he sees in you… for me it's not clear… but be careful about what you say… just because Steven is only half gem, that doesn't make him weaker, just because Amethyst was'n born like the other Amethysts, that doesn't mean she is a mistake, just because Garnet is a fusion made of love, that doesn't make her an abomination, just because Lapis fought alongside us and refused to be part of Homeworld, that doesn't make her a fool and just because of my origins and what I did, that doesn't make me less of a gem, that doesn't make me a brainless servant or a defective one… and you Peridot? Does the fact that you are incomplete make you less of a gem? Does the fact that you betrayed your masters when the purpose of your creation was to serve them make you a defective gem?" Pearl said as slowly she retracted her spear from Peridot's neck, who was staring at her with wide eyes.

"You are not allowed to leave the house… that until you'll earn our trust… Steven trusts you… don't disappoint him…" Pearl said as she walked towards the temple's door and disappeared into her room.

"Pearl wait!" Peridot tried to call her, but it was too late, the temple's door shut behind the white gem, leaving her alone in the house.

 **Meanwhile, on the boardwalk:**

"Hi Connie! Good morning Doctor Mahaswaren!" Steven greeted Connie and her mother as he reached them near her car.

"Hi Steven!" Connie greeted him happily as she walked towards him, followed by her mother.

"What happened here?" Dr. Mahaswaren asked as she looked around, noticing some debris still popping out from the surface of the sea and on the beach… since the crash of the ship, Connie's mother had never had the occasion to know what exactly happened there.

Steven looked at Connie and then at her mother, he knew how much Connie feared that her mother could discover about them doing magical stuff and about Steven true life, probably, well more certainly, she would have never let Connie see him again.

"Uhm… well… a… a satellite crashed near the teSmple! Me and my family are already working to remove the pieces…" Steven said trying to sound convincible.

"Mmmmh… well… I'm glad you and your family are all safe… have a good afternoon… I'll come to pick you up at six Connie…" Dr. Mahaswaren said before driving away.

"So… ehm… there is something I have to tell you…" Steven said avoiding Connie's gaze, during this days, when Connie or his dad came to see him, Lapis has always been in her room, he didn't want them to freak out… however he knew that sooner or later he would have had to tell her about Lapis and Peridot, but he wasn't sure about how she would have reacted.

"What is it? Is there something wrong Steven? Did something bad happened to the gems?!" Connie asked becoming worried.

"No no no, it's… well… it's just that… maybe it's better if I just show it to you…" Steven said as he gave her a nervous look.

"Ooook…" Connie was unsure about this, however, she followed Steven as he walked towards his house, needless to say, she wasn't prepared to see what he was going to show her.

 **Meanwhile, in Steven's house:**

Peridot was still sitting on the couch, still stunned by what Pearl said to her when, suddenly, the temple's door opened revealing a tall, blue gem standing on it, Lapis walked towards the living room without noticing Peridot.

"Steven! Are you-" Lapis began to say but became silent when she saw Peridot, who was looking at her.

"Oh… ehm… hello…" Peridot greeted sheepishly.

"…" Lapis remained silent as she stared at the green gem, she folded her arms and gave her a dirty look before turning around and walking towards the temple's door.

"W-wait!" Peridot yelped as she stood up from the couch, it was strange, she never felt anything like this, this kind of feeling, it was new for her, but, it wasn't beautiful like the one she felt near Steven, when she was still a Homeworld's servant, even when she was alone, she never felt this way, but now, now that Steven showed her what love and compassion really were, she understood something new, without people that made her feel that warm feeling that the dear, little hybrid taught her, she felt… lonely.

"P-please d-don't… go…" Peridot said as Lapis suddenly stopped walking.

"What… did... you… say?" Lapis said still not facing the green gem, clenching her fists to her sides.

"I… I…" Peridot muttered as Lapis turned around and began to walk towards her.

"What? Do you feel lonely Peridot? Are you asking me to stay here?" Lapis hissed between her teeth as Peridot began to take some steps backwards.

"Lapis I-" Peridot tried to speak but Lapis cut her off.

"Shut up! Do you think I would really stay near to a gem like you? And after all what you did to us, after all what you did to me, you still have the courage to ask me to keep you company?!" Lapis yelled as Peridot lowered her gaze and remained silent.

Lapis looked at her for some moments and turned away from her, she began to walk away but, suddenly, she stopped as she heard something.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry… please… forgive me…" Peridot said as she kept her eyes low.

That was it, Lapis turned around and stared at her, what she saw in those green eyes, those eyes that she remembered being cold and emotionless, were filled with sadness, shame, regret… and tears. She saw the spots that had been repaired on her robotic parts, and the memory of what Peridot had done for Steven, came to her mind, her hatred made her blind, but not anymore. Now, Lapis saw Peridot in a complete new light, she wasn't a heartless being, no, she was a gem capable of loving and caring for others, she was just afraid, afraid of what gems more powerful than her could have done to her, but Peridot would have never had to suffer that kind of fear again. Lapis rushed towards her, which made the green gem tense, but then, as she reached her, she embraced her tightly.

"I… I'm sorry too, it's true you… you have hurt us… but… you changed… and risked your life in order to save Steven… that is all what matters now… let's leave the past in the past…" Lapis said as Peridot became less tense.

"T...thank you…" Peridot whispered.

"Don't worry Peridot… you are safe now… you will no longer have to be afraid…" Lapis said as she felt a pair of arms embracing her tightly and drops falling on her shoulder.

That was the moment when the door shut open and Steven remained motionless, staring at the two gems hugging each other with stars in his eyes and a bright smile on his face. But the beautiful moment didn't last long when Connie entered the house.

"Steven?! What is Lapis doing here?! Oh my… is that Peridot?!" Connie shouted in disbelief.

 **Hello guys! So here ends chapter three, we hope you have enjoyed and we apologize for the delay, thank you again for all the appreciation you give us and we really hope you'll like how we planned our story to continue, also, I wanted to ask you something… is the picture of the story visible? I mean, do you see the image of my profile or the picture I drew with all the gems facing the antagonists? Let me know in the comments, bye!**


	4. Chapter 4: Forgiving their mistakes

**CHAPTER 4: FORGIVING THEIR MISTAKES**

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry… please… forgive me…" Peridot said as she kept her eyes low.

That was it, Lapis turned around and stared at her, what she saw in those green eyes, those eyes that she remembered being cold and emotionless, were filled with sadness, shame, regret… and tears. She saw the spots that had been repaired on her robotic parts, and the memory of what Peridot had done for Steven, came to her mind, her hatred made her blind, but not anymore. Now, Lapis saw Peridot in a complete new light, she wasn't a heartless being, no, she was a gem capable of loving and caring for others, she was just afraid, afraid of what gems more powerful than her could have done to her, but Peridot would have never had to suffer that kind of fear again. Lapis rushed towards her, which made the green gem tense, but then, as she reached her, she embraced her tightly.

"I… I'm sorry too, it's true you… you have hurt us… but… you changed… and risked your life in order to save Steven… that is all what matters now… let's leave the past in the past…" Lapis said as Peridot became less tense.

"T...thank you…" Peridot whispered.

"Don't worry Peridot… you are safe now… you will no longer have to be afraid…" Lapis said as she felt a pair of arms embracing her tightly and drops falling on her shoulder.

That was the moment when the door shut open and Steven remained motionless, staring at the two gems hugging each other with stars in his eyes and a bright smile on his face. But the beautiful moment didn't last long when Connie entered the house.

"Steven?! What is Lapis doing here?! Oh my… is that Peridot?!" Connie shouted in disbelief.

"Hehe… ehm… I thought that showing you was the best way to make you understand the situation…" Steven said as Connie stared at the two Homeworld's gems.

"Steven why are they here?! Did… did they do something to the gems?!" Connie cried as she gripped his shoulders.

"What? No! Connie, Lapis and Peridot are with us now!" Steven said as Connie's eyes widened.

"What?! Steven how can they be Crystal Gems if all what they have done is hurting you and your family!" Connie shouted pointing at them.

"That's not true! Lapis protected us from Jasper and Peridot did the same on Yellow Diamond's ship! It's true… they have done some bad things… but would it be right to forget all the good things they did for me just because of their mistakes?" Steven said as Connie's expression softened.

It was true, Peridot and Lapis had changed and even if Connie couldn't still see it, she couldn't deny that, what Steven just said was true, it wouldn't have been right to condemn someone just because of some mistakes did in the past.

"For… for what it's worth… I'm sorry for what I did last time we met… I… I don't expect you to forgive me but I want you to know that now I'm changed and… and I think I can speak for Peridot too when I say that we will never let anything bad happen to Steven… not after what he did for us…" Lapis said as Peridot nodded.

Connie remained silent for a moment, now she understood, indeed, Lapis and Peridot did try to hurt Steven, but now, something changed, something was different, she could see in their eyes that Steven managed to change them and if he believed in them… then… maybe she could do it too.

"W-well… since Steven trusts you… I think I could try to do it too…" Connie said cracking a small smile.

"Hey! I've got an awesome idea! Why don't we show the town to Lapis and Peridot together!?" Steven said waving his arms in the air.

"Ehm… s-sure why not…" Connie said as she looked at the two gems who exchanged looks before nodding.

"Ok, first stop, Beach City Funland!" Steven said as he took Connie's hand and opened the door.

"Ehm… Steven… what exactly is… a funland?" Peridot asked as Connie and Steven snickered slightly.

"Well… it's a place where friends hang out to have fun all together with many kind of games! Like roller coasters, an arcade, a teacup ride, even if it's not really my favorite, bumper cars and a lot else!" Steven said as he turned towards Peridot.

"Ehm… I… I don't-" Peridot tried to speak, uncertain about Steven's idea of spending time all together in some kind of human amusement site, but before she could finish, Lapis grasped her floating fingers and dragged her towards Steven and Connie.

"Come on Peridot, it'll be funny, plus we are with Steven, what could possibly go wrong?" Lapis said as Peridot smiled slightly.

"Here we are! What do you think?" Steven beamed happily as they reached the entrance of Funland.

"Nois-" Peridot tried to say but was interrupted by Lapis who nudged her in the arm.

"It looks pretty funny, doesn't it Peridot?" Lapis said as Peridot rolled her eyes.

"Yeeeah… of course…" Peridot answered as Steven began to guide them through the park.

"Try to be a little more enthusiastic about this Peridot…" Lapis whispered taking some distance from the two kids.

"I don't know if you noticed Lapis… but… this isn't really the kind of environment I'm used to frequent…" Peridot said staring at the ground.

"Mine neither… but… Steven gave me my freedom… I don't know what would have happened to me if he didn't help me and I'm glad about the choices I made in order to protect him… even if it meant to go against what it used to be my home…" Lapis said giving the green gem a sad smile.

"I… I'm glad too… about what I have done…" Peridot said looking at her scratched robotic limbs.

"Steven is truly someone unique… he fights in order to protect the ones he loves and he doesn't care if his enemy seems unbeatable... before meeting him I always saw life like something cruel and meaningless… but… now… thanks to him… I know that this life can also be wonderful… now Earth is our new home… and if it's the place Steven fights for… it can't be so bad… don't you think?" Lapis said staring at the sky.

"I… I think that too… it's… it's nice to live in a place where you don't have to be afraid of everything and everyone around you…" Peridot said cracking a little smile.

"Ok guys… we are here! The roller coaster!" Steven beamed happily as they entered the line of people waiting for having their turn on the amusement ride.

 **So guys here is chapter four! I hope you have liked it and I hope you will be happy to know that now we are going to continue our story regularly, so… well… go celebrate? Anyway, the next chapter is going to arrive soon and now I'll leave you with a message from my coworker: Hey guys Shelton ez here just letting you know we're very sorry for keeping you guys up like this. It's just I had little problems with the computer... ok no, that's an understatement, my laptop is totally broken! It's horrible! A whole month of progress and data lost!... sob sob. Anyways we eventually found a solution to get this right. So now I'm going to pass this along to my friend here, take it away Marvelguy.**


	5. Chapter 5: She's actually pretty cool

**CHAPTER 5: SHE'S ACTUALLY PRETTY COOL**

"I don't know if you noticed Lapis… but… this isn't really the kind of environment I'm used to frequent…" Peridot said staring at the ground.

"Mine neither… but… Steven gave me my freedom… I don't know what would have happened to me if he didn't help me and I'm glad about the choices I made in order to protect him… even if it meant to go against what it used to be my home…" Lapis said giving the green gem a sad smile.

"I… I'm glad too… about what I have done…" Peridot said looking at her scratched robotic limbs.

"Steven is truly someone unique… he fights in order to protect the ones he loves and he doesn't care if his enemy seems unbeatable... before meeting him I always saw life like something cruel and meaningless… but… now… thanks to him… I know that this life can also be wonderful… now Earth is our new home… and if it's the place Steven fights for… it can't be so bad… don't you think?" Lapis said staring at the sky.

"I… I think that too… it's… it's nice to live in a place where you don't have to be afraid of everything and everyone around you…" Peridot said cracking a little smile.

"Ok guys… we are here! The roller coaster!" Steven beamed happily as they entered the line of people waiting for having their turn on the amusement ride.

"Ehm… Steven… what should we do now?" Peridot asked as they reached the train of cars.

"Just take your seat in one of the cars, I'll sit in this one with Connie, just sit in the one behind us with Lapis." Steven said as he took his seat in the car.

"W-wait! St-" Peridot tried to object but was interrupted by Lapis, who dragged her in the car laughing slightly.

"Come on Peri… it'll be funny!" Lapis said as Peridot took her seat next to her.

"I don't… wait how did you call me?!" Peridot almost yelled as Lapis covered her mouth, trying not to burst into laughter.

"Ok, now pull that bar in front of you and just enjoy the ride!" Steven said as Lapis and Peridot pulled down the bar and waited for the ride to start.

"From how you have described it… I thought it would have been… ehm… funnier?" Peridot said as Steven and Connie began to snicker and the car kept moving upwards.

"Why are you laugh-" Peridot tried to speak but as the car reached the top of the binary, she remained speechless.

"Here comes the fun!" Steven and Connie shouted together as the car fell down.

Several minutes later the ride was over and Steven, Connie and the two gems got off the car. The two kids were still laughing when they turned around and noticed that Lapis was supporting Peridot, who had her arms wrapped around her waist.

"Oh come on Peri… it was funny!" Lapis said giggling as the green gem snorted.

"Hu-huma-n-ni-ty a-and I… ha-have diff-different i-ideas a-about w-w-what can be c-considered e-enjoyable…" Peridot muttered trying not to stumble.

"Look! A new stand!" Steven said as he and Connie ran towards the new attraction.

"P-please… n-not another… ride of desperation…" Peridot whispered as she reached the stand, she sighed in relief when she noticed that there weren't any kind of cars or binaries.

"Hey Lars!" Steven said as he noticed who was standing behind the counter.

"Oh boy… hi Steven… oh… more weird ladies… great…" Lars grunted as Lapis and Peridot frowned, surely, this human was not at all like Steven.

"Soooo… what kind of game is this?" Lapis asked coming near to the counter.

"Where have you lived until now Smurfette?" Lars answered tittering.

"That's not my name…" Lapis replied coldly.

"Well… you just have to take that gun and if you manage to hit the little spaceship behind me… well you win a prize… come on Steven… why don't you try to win something for your little girlfriend…" Lars said snickering as Connie and Steven blushed furiously.

"W-what prize do you like?" Steven asked turning towards Connie.

"Uhm… t-that little pink lion plush looks nice…" Connie answered pointing at the plush toy.

Steven took the gun and waited for the game to start. As soon as the spaceship began to move, Steven pointed at it and shoot, trying to hit it. Just before the game was going to end, one of Steven's shots hit the spaceship.

"I did it!" Steven yelled happily, but his happiness faded away as he heard Lars laughing at him.

"I don't think so…" Lars said as Peridot came near to him.

"Hey! What happened?! Steven managed to hit the spaceship! Why did he lose?!" Peridot protested as Lars shock his head.

"Let me tell you something Dorito… you see that little ship over there? Do you see that it didn't fall down? This means that… he… didn't… win… oh what a pity!" Lars said as he continued to laugh.

"I see… mind if I try?" Peridot asked stoically.

"Why not… let's see if you can actually hold something with those weird fingers of yours…" Lars snickered.

But as soon as he saw Peridot walking away from the stand he stopped and assumed a perplexed expression, and that expression, from a perplexed one, changed into a terrified one as he saw the gem holding her arm towards the stand, her hand morphing into a cannon, which, in a matter of seconds, shoot an energy sphere towards it. The entire back of the stand, including the little spaceship, blow off.

"I win… is it correct?" Peridot asked cracking a little, malicious smile as Lars gave Steven the little toy, still trembling.

"That… was actually pretty cool…" Connie said turning towards Peridot.

"Thank you…" The green gem replied as she blushed a little.

"Why was that human so evil?" Lapis asked, slightly frowning.

"Oh… well… you know… it's Lars… everyone have flaws and… from time to time… he can be a little nasty… but in the end he is a really good guy…" Steven said smiling.

"If you say so…" Peridot said, crossing her arms.

"Oh… I have to go… my mom asked me to come home… Steven, do you think your dad could give me a lift?" Connie said as she looked at her phone.

"Of course! Ehm… there is only one problem…" Steven said, scratching the back of his head.

"Oh my… your dad… he… he doesn't know about Lapis and Peridot?!" Connie shouted in disbelief.

"No… I mean… uhm… yes…" Steven said staring at the ground.

"Steven!" Connie shouted.

"I- I didn't know how to tell him! When I told him about the time when Jasper knocked me off, he freaked out..." Steven said as Connie sighed.

"Well… I think this time you'll have to tell him… don't worry… I'll help you… we'll show him that Lapis and Peridot have changed…" Connie said smiling slightly.

"Thank you…" Steven said as they approached Greg's carwash.

 **I told you the next chapter would have been updated soon! We hope you have liked this chapter and the story so far, thank you for all the reviews, favs and follows, you are becoming so many, we hope you'll become even more and we wanted you to know that your appreciation is very important to us, see you in the chapter! It will arrive soon, we promise.**


	6. Chapter 6: What lurks in the shadows

**CHAPTER 6: WHAT LURKS IN THE SHADOWS**

"Oh… I have to go… my mom asked me to come home… Steven, do you think your dad could give me a lift?" Connie said as she looked at her phone.

"Of course! Ehm… there is only one problem…" Steven said, scratching the back of his head.

"Oh my… your dad… he… he doesn't know about Lapis and Peridot?!" Connie shouted in disbelief.

"No… I mean… uhm… yes…" Steven said staring at the ground.

"Steven!" Connie shouted.

"I- I didn't know how to tell him! When I told him about the time when Jasper knocked me off, he freaked out..." Steven said as Connie sighed.

"Well… I think this time you'll have to tell him… don't worry… I'll help you… we'll show him that Lapis and Peridot have changed…" Connie said smiling slightly.

"Thank you…" Steven said as they approached Greg's carwash.

As Steven, Connie, Lapis and Peridot approached the carwash, they began to hear a melody coming Greg's van. They began to move towards it until Steven stopped walking.

"Ok… just… let me talk to him for one second… wait for me here…" Steven said as he began to move towards the source of the music.

"H-hi dad!" Steven greeted as he saw Greg sitting in the back of his van.

"Hi Steven! How are you doing?" Greg asked as he stood up.

"Fine dad, thanks, ehm… could you… could you give Connie a lift home?" Steven asked.

"Of course… let's-" Greg tried to say before being stopped by him.

"Ehm… before we go… there is something I have to tell you…" Steven said as Greg assumed a worried expression.

"Son… is everything alright?" Greg asked as he gently laid his hand on Steven's shoulder.

"Yes… but… I have to show you something... and you have to promise me you won't freak out… ok?" Steven said as he grasped his father's hand.

"O-ok…" Greg answered, becoming a little worried, needless to say, he would have never imagined what Steven was going to show to him.

Greg followed his son as they walked around the van and stopped in front of Connie, Lapis and Peridot. Greg remained motionless as he tried to process what he was watching at. In front of him, stood the gem who broke his leg and tried to drown his son and the gem who corresponded to Steven's description of Peridot, the Homeworld gem who kidnapped him and tried to bring him away forever.

"H-hello mister Universe…" Connie said keeping her gaze low.

"S-Steven… are those… Lapis and Peridot?" Greg asked in astonishment.

"Y-yes…" Steven answered as Greg moved in front of him, willing to protect him from who he thought were two aggressors.

"What are they doing here?! Did they try to hurt you?! I swear, if they have only touched you-" Greg shouted but was interrupted by Steven.

"No dad! They didn't do anything bad! Lapis and Peridot are in our team now!" Steven said trying to calm his father down.

"What?!" Greg shouted in disbelief.

"Dad-" Steven tried to speak but was cut off by his father.

"No! How can Garnet, Pearl and Amethyst trust them after what they did?!" Greg yelled pointing at the two gems.

"Dad please! You have to listen to me! Lapis and Peridot saved my life! If it wasn't for them… I don't think I would be here now…" Steven said looking Greg straight in the eyes.

"But…" Greg said before Connie intervened.

"Mister Universe, you have to listen to Steven! I spent the day together with Lapis and Peridot and I can see they have really changed!" Connie said clenching her fists.

"Dad… please… I need you to trust me…" Steven said as Greg's expression softened.

"Well… if they really saved you… then I guess I can't be mad at them… I'm sorry for the outburst…" Greg said patting gently his son's head as he looked at Lapis and Peridot.

"I-I should be the one who apologizes… indeed… I helped Steven… but I also hurt you and your… ehm…" Lapis said as she pointed at Greg's van.

"It's a van…" Connie whispered.

"Oh… your... van…" Lapis said as Greg smiled slightly.

"No problem… the important thing is that Steven is here and trusts you… now… better take Connie home right?" Greg said as Steven nodded happily.

"Bye! Thanks for the good day!" Connie said as she got in the van.

"I never met someone this understanding on Homeworld…" Peridot said as Steven waved goodbye and the van disappeared behind the corner of the street.

"It's one of my family's qualities…" Steven said smiling.

Steven and the two gems kept walking until they reached his house, as they opened the door, they found Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl waiting for them.

"Hi guys… is something wrong?" Steven asked as he watched Peridot and Lapis.

"No Steven… but we must discuss something with Peridot…" Garnet said as she stepped forward.

"Is she in trouble?" Steven asked sounding worried.

"No… but if she really wants to be part of our team… then she has to reveal what was the purpose of her mission on Earth…" Garnet said walking in front of the green Homeworld gem.

"I…I…" Peridot muttered as Garnet placed her hand on her shoulder.

"Peridot… you don't have anything to fear from us… you saved all of us but most importantly you saved Steven… and we'll always be grateful to you for that…" Garnet said as Peridot sighed heavily.

"Alright… but… it's better if I show you…" Peridot said as the gems looked at each other and nodded.

Steven, the gems, Lapis and Peridot walked towards the warp pad and disappeared into the beam of light. After some moments, they appeared in front of a well known place… the Kindergarten.

"Kindergarten…" Garnet whispered.

"Were you sent here in order to reactivate it?" Pearl asked looking around.

"No… the project which involved using Earth as a colony was abandoned when it became clear that Homeworld wouldn't have been able to defeat the rebellion… so its leaders decided to use it as a site for the conduction of their experiments…" Peridot explained as she and the others approached the hole that leaded to the control room.

"What kind of experiments?" Lapis asked as she looked into the dark hole in the ground.

"I'll show you… but… please… remember that I don't have anything to do with Homeworld… creations…" Peridot said as they all looked at each other, the tension increasing quickly as they jumped down.

"This place looks creepier than the other time we've been here…" Steven said as they reached the control room.

"Peridot… what are these pillars?" Garnet asked as she looked around the room and spotted several pillars scattered on the ground.

"No… no… they shouldn't be here! They should be inside the walls! T-they can't have gotten out on their own!" Peridot said, as she took a step back.

 _"_ _You are right little traitor… I took them out…"_

As soon as Steven and all of the gems heard a voice coming from behind them, they immediately turned around. In front of them stood a humped figure… completely covered by a black cloak.

 _"_ _And now… you have all fallen into my trap…"_

The dark figure began to titter as a long, thin arm emerged from the black mantle. It all happened in a moment… the figure stretching its arm towards the gems… a bolt of energy springing from its hand… and Steven jumping in front of everyone.


	7. Chapter 7: Living nightmares

**CHAPTER 7: LIVING NIGHTMARES**

"Peridot… what are these pillars?" Garnet asked as she looked around the room and spotted several pillars scattered on the ground.

"No… no… they shouldn't be here! They should be inside the walls! T-they can't have gotten out on their own!" Peridot said, as she took a step back.

 _"_ _You are right little traitor… I took them out…"_

As soon as Steven and all of the gems heard a voice coming from behind them, they immediately turned around. In front of them stood a humped figure… completely covered by a black cloak.

 _"_ _And now… you have all fallen into my trap…"_

The dark figure began to titter as a long, thin arm emerged from the black mantle. It all happened in a moment… the figure stretching its arm towards the gems… a bolt of energy springing from its hand… and Steven jumping in front of everyone.

"STEVEN NO!" Pearl screamed trying to grasp him, but failing in the attempt.

A cloud of dust was raised in the air as the humped figure chuckled maliciously… but it stopped as the cloud began to dissipate revealing a bright, pink light. Just a moment before the bolt of energy could hit the gems, Steven managed to get in front of them and summon his shield, preventing all of them from being burnt to ashes.

 _"_ _Your will to protect the others instead of you doesn't make you stronger… it'll be your ruin…"_

The figure murmured as it turned around and began to walk up the tunnel. Garnet tried to run after the mysterious assailant… but she stopped as she heard a noise coming from behind them. The group turned around and noticed that the pillars were trembling.

"What is inside of them?" Pearl whispered as they all stepped closer.

"The reason why I have been sent here… w-we must run…" Peridot said as she began to step back.

But it was too late… the pillars exploded as many, little agglomerates of gem shards began to raise in the air. As they began to glow… multiple limbs and faces began to emerge from them and, as their screams of agony began to fill the room, the gems summoned their weapons, ready to face the nightmares that were slowly approaching them… all except Garnet, who seemed to be petrified in front of what, sadly, was exactly what she thought these monsters were.

"It… it can't be…" Garnet whispered as one of the clusters approached her.

"Garnet!" Pearl said as she summoned her spear and threw it towards the screaming monster.

As the others kept fighting against all of the abominations, Garnet collapsed on her knees, unable to move, as tears began to stream down her face. Steven noticed another cluster which was going to reach Garnet, he began to run towards her and as he reached her, he enveloped both of them inside of one of his bubbles.

"Garnet! Garnet, please! What is happening to you! Look around you! We need your help!" Steven shouted as he took her face between her hands.

"S-Steven…" Garnet whispered as she looked at him.

She turned her gaze towards the monster who was pounding furiously on Steven's bubble and as she gritted her teeth, she stood up and summoned her gauntlets. Steven dropped his bubble and as the cluster tried to assault them, Garnet blocked it. For just one moment, she hesitated, as it looked like if in the eyes of that abomination there was still a glimmer of conscience… but now it didn't matter… that monster tried to hurt her family and she wasn't going to forgive that. She punched the beast and as it stepped back and hit the wall behind them, it disappeared into a cloud of smoke.

"Garnet? Is everything-" Steven tried to ask, but as he saw Garnet walking past him he stopped.

Garnet kept walking without saying a word until she was in front of Peridot. Needless to say, no one expected what came next. She grabbed the green gem by her neck and pinned her against one of the room's walls.

"THOSE WERE CRYSTAL GEMS! ISN'T IT! SAY IT!" Garnet screamed as Peridot shut her eyes.

"Garnet wait!" Steven said as he tried to reach her, but was stopped by Pearl, who grabbed him by his arm and held him close, she knew that when Garnet was enraged, it wasn't a good idea to interfere, even if it was Steven the one who was trying to stop her.

"P-please! I-I-" Peridot begged as Garnet raised her fist.

"SAY IT!" Garnet screamed furiously.

"Y-yes! H-Homeworld used t-the shards of the hostile g-gems w-who died during t-the rebellion in order to verify the p-possibility t-that artificial f-fusions c-could actually exist!" Peridot screamed as tears began to stream down her face.

"All those who we couldn't find… they have always been here… buried underground… forced together…" Garnet whispered as a small tear streamed down her face.

"P-please… I… I have nothing to do with this!" Peridot said as she began to tremble.

"Garnet… she is on our side… she saved Steven… don't you remember what she did for us?" Pearl said as Garnet lowered her fist.

"I… I'm sorry…" Garnet said as she let Peridot go, who fell on her knees, and began to pick up and bubble all the clusters scattered on the ground.

"So Homeworld sent you here in order to check the progress of their… experiments?" Pearl said as she helped Peridot to stand up.

"No… these were just prototypes for their final experiment… the cluster…" Peridot said as she wiped her cheeks.

"What is that?" Amethyst asked as Peridot formed her holographic interface.

"At the very center of this planet a single, massive agglomeration of gem shards is now incubating, that is the cluster… and when it will take its physical form… it'll destroy the planet…" Peridot said as Pearl, Amethyst and Steven's eyes became wide.

"W-we must stop it!" Steven said as Garnet approached him.

"B-but how?! I-If what Peridot says is true… t-than we'll need some kind of machine to take us to the center o-of the Earth… and… e-even if we could manage to reach it… how could we destroy it?!" Pearl asked frenetically.

"First of all… let's return to the temple… then we'll discuss about this cluster and how we could stop it…" Garnet said as she gently placed a hand on Steven's shoulder.

"Ehm… guys?" Steven asked as all of the gems turned towards him.

"What is it Steven?" Pearl said as he looked around.

"Where's Lapis?" Steven asked, unable to see the blue gem anywhere.

"Did she escape?" Peridot wondered as they began to walk up the tunnel.

"We don't have time for this… we have to go back to the temple…" Garnet said as she kept walking towards the warp pad, all of the gems following her, except for Pearl, who stopped walking as she felt someone pulling the flake of her dress.

"Pearl… I know this is really important but… could you help me find Lapis? She would have never left us in danger… but… if it happened… it must be because something bad happened to her…" Steven asked with a worried look on his face.

"Of course Steven…" Pearl said, she knew that Garnet wanted them to come up with a plan to stop the cluster, but she also knew how important Lapis was for Steven, just like the other members of his family, how could she refuse to help him?

All of them stepped on the warp pad and disappeared into the beam of light… not noticing that… as soon as they went away… something began to crawl out of the tunnel. As the gems warped back at the temple, Garnet, Amethyst and Peridot began to discuss about the cluster. Steven and Pearl instead, went out and began to look for Lapis. Steven decided to look for her in the city, while Pearl decided to reach the cliff over the temple, in order to have a better visual… and while she approached it… she began to hear muffled sobs.

"Lapis?" Pearl asked as she spotted the blue gem, sitting on the ground, with her face hidden between her knees.

"I… I'm so sorry…" Lapis said as Pearl approached her.

"Lapis… what happened?" Pearl asked as she stood behind her.

"I…I couldn't take it… th-those gems… forced together… they were trapped… Homeworld couldn't just let them rest… they had to use them! Why… why Homeworld have to be so… cruel… a-and why… why couldn't I be stronger… I'm… I'm just too weak…" Lapis hissed as she clenched her fists.

"Lapis… you aren't weak… you are one of the most powerful gems I have ever met… you suffered so much but instead of giving up… you decided to fight for the ones you care for… that isn't something that weak people do… believe me when I say that you are strong… stronger than you think…" Pearl whispered as she walked in front of her, kneeled down and raised her face with her hands, giving her a sweet smile.

"Thank you… Pearl…" Lapis whispered cracking a little, sad, smile.

"You know… when I'm sad… I try to concentrate on the things I enjoy very much doing…" Pearl said trying to cheer her up.

"Like what?" Lapis asked.

"Oh… I like to meditate… to practice with my swords… to dance…" Pearl said as Lapis sighed.

"I… I enjoyed dancing very much too… but it became something that scares me…" Lapis said keeping her gaze low, as the thought of Malachite came to her mind.

"W-well… c-could I change that?" Pearl asked, standing up and offering the blue gem her hand, indeed, she had always thought that Lapis was one of their most powerful enemies, but now that she was one of them, she could see how Lapis really was, she was scared, scared of being unable to protect the one she cared for… just like Pearl… and just like her she needed someone to reassure her and show her how much strong she really was.

"I…I'd like it very much…" Lapis said smiling, as she stood up and took Pearl's hand.

Steven began to walk back towards the house, sadly, he couldn't find his fried, but he still had hope that Pearl managed to find her, so much had happened during those days, he began to think about the cluster, about the strange figure that attacked them in the Kindergarten's control room, but his train of thoughts was interrupted when something caught his attention… a bright light coming from the cliff over the temple.

 _"_ _Pearl… did… did we?..."_

 _"_ _O-oh… Lapis I-I'm so sorry! J-just let me-"_

 _"_ _No! No… wait… it's… it's… really nice… I… I had forgotten what it felt like to do this with someone you trust…"_

 _"_ _Y-you trust me?"_

 _"_ _Of course… you know… we are more similar than I initially thought…"_

 _"_ _I'm… glad we can finally get along…"_

 _"_ _Me too… thank you… for what you said to me… you are one of the few I can really call… friend…"_

 _"_ _I-I… well… you just needed someone to show you how much strong you really are… I… I didn't do something really amazing…"_

 _"_ _You're wrong… you did something extraordinary… and you did it for me… so… let me repay you…"_

 _"_ _L-Lapis why are we walking towards the cliff?!"_

 _"_ _Feel what real freedom is Pearl!"_

And that was it, real freedom, when Angelite stepped off the cliff and hovered in the air.


	8. Chapter 8: The plan

**CHAPTER 8: THE PLAN**

 _"_ _Pearl… did… did we?..."_

 _"_ _O-oh… Lapis I-I'm so sorry!_ _J-just let me-"_

 _"_ _No! No… wait… it's… it's… really nice… I… I had forgotten what it felt like to do this with someone you trust…"_

 _"_ _Y-you trust me?"_

 _"_ _Of course… you know… we are more similar than I initially thought…"_

 _"_ _I'm… glad we can finally get along…"_

 _"_ _Me too… thank you… for what you said to me… you are one of the few I can really call… friend…"_

 _"_ _I-I… well… you just needed someone to show you how much strong you really are… I… I didn't do something really amazing…"_

 _"_ _You're wrong… you did something extraordinary… and you did it for me… so… let me repay you…"_

 _"_ _L-Lapis why are we walking towards the cliff?!"_

 _"_ _Feel what real freedom is Pearl!"_

And that was it, real freedom, when Angelite stepped off the cliff and hovered in the air. Needless to say, Pearl never felt anything like this, indeed, she always felt more than happy to become one with anyone of her teammates, especially with Rose, but with Lapis, she felt something different, something new… and it wasn't the fact that, well, now she could fly, it was the fact that now she could feel what real freedom was… for all these years she had been confined on Earth, unable to revisit the beauties of the cosmos… but now she could do it again! No more fights… no more worries… she could have flown away right in that moment and she could have wandered through thousands of thousands of galaxies and…

 _"_ _Pearl… stop…"_

 _"_ _We are so close… we could do it now… we could-"_

 _"_ _We could Pearl… but what about what you have here…"_

 _"_ _I…I…"_

 _"_ _What about Steven? Don't you care?"_

 _"_ _L-Lapis… I… please I didn't… forgive me… I…"_

 _"_ _You can't use it for that Pearl… I understand that at first it looks like the perfect loophole from all of your problems… it looks like no one will ever be able to stop you… no matter how strong… no matter how fast someone could be… but… flying away isn't always the best solution… trust me… I've experienced it on my own skin…"_

 _"_ _I'm sorry Lapis and… thank you for this… it's wonderful…"_

 _"_ _I'm happy I could share this with you…"_

"Oh… my… stars…" Steven exclaimed as he stood in front of Angelite, as tall as Rainbow Quartz, with a long, light blue dress with two ribbons, one around the pelvis and one around the neck, as she stepped on the beach, two, large water wings disappearing from her back.

 _"_ _Steven!"_

As soon as Angelite saw Steven standing in front of her, she glowed bright and in a matter of seconds, Pearl and Lapis landed on the ground. Steven ran towards the two gems and embraced them both as he looked at them with stars in his eyes.

"Guys you were amazing! Your fusion is so beautiful!" Steven beamed happily as Lapis and Pearl looked at each other smiling slightly.

"R-really?" Pearl asked as she gently patted Steven's head.

"Yeah! You should do it more! What does it fell like? What is your weapon? Oh! Is your fusion's personality a completely new one or-" Steven asked frenetically as Lapis giggled softly.

"Now Steven, calm down… w-we could still hear each other but our movements were coordinate… it… felt… really nice… different from what I feel during a fusion with Amethyst, or Garnet, or… well… and well, I don't know what our weapon looks like… w-we didn't summon it… but I guess w-we'll discover it soon or later… r-right Lapis?" Pearl asked turning towards Lapis, a small blush on her face.

"Of course…" Lapis said smiling gently, as the trio moved towards the house.

"Lapis… are you ok?" Steven asked with a hint of worry in his voice.

"Yes Steven… I… I'm ok now… I'm sorry I didn't stay there… I should have stayed and protected you… I hope you can forgive me…" Lapis said keeping her gaze low.

"Of course Lapis! Those clusters were… pretty scary…" Steven said scratching the back of his head.

"Thank you…" Lapis said as she, crossed the threshold of the door.

As they entered the house, Pearl, Lapis and Steven found Garnet, Amethyst and Peridot waiting for them. Garnet was leaning against the counter as Peridot talked to her while, Amethyst was sitting on the couch, listening to their conversation.

"Lapis… welcome back…" Garnet said as the blue gem approached her, alongside Pearl and Steven.

"Garnet… I… I'm sorry for-" Lapis tried to apologize but was interrupted by Garnet who held her hand up.

"You don't need to explain yourself… trust me… I understand… now we all have to discuss about the danger the Earth itself is heading towards…" Garnet said as Lapis tensed up.

"What are you talking about?" Lapis asked as she looked towards everyone in the room.

"Those experiments were just prototypes for Homeworld's most hideous creation… a massive agglomeration of gems shards… the cluster… and when it'll take its physical form… it'll destroy the planet…" Garnet explained as Lapis covered her mouth, horrified by her words.

"H-how are we going to stop it?" Lapis asked with a trembling voice.

"At first we couldn't come up with a single idea to stop the cluster… until Garnet showed me what she retrieved from Yellow Diamond ship's remains…" Peridot said as Garnet summoned a bubble which contained a large, black shard.

"What is that?" Pearl asked as she stepped nearer to inspect the strange object.

"This… is a shard of Yellow Diamond ship's core…" Garnet said as all of the team came around her.

"In these conditions… the shard is useless… but its charge consists in the same energy of the destabilizers… now consider the fact that the cluster is basically a fusion composed of millions of gem shards… what comes to your mind?" Peridot asked as Pearl's eyes lit up.

"If… if we could manage to recharge the shard and reach the cluster… t-then we could use the shard to destabilize its structure and… and make it fall apart!" Pearl shouted in excitement.

"Exactly… that was our idea… but in order to reach the cluster we'll need to built a machine capable of taking us to the center of the Earth… plus… in order to recharge the shard… we'll need a power core and an adapter to transfer its energy to the shard…" Peridot said as she formed her holographic interface.

"And where should be able to find the core and the… adapter… thingy?" Amethyst asked as Peridot pointed one of her floating fingers towards an Earth's location showed on her interface.

"Here… in one of the few… secret Homeworld's research facilities…" Peridot said as all of the gems looked at each other and nodded.

"Then we're heading there… now… we don't know who's the one who attacked us at the Kindergarten… but I can tell that our assailant knew about those experiments… he knew we would have gone there and set a trap… and if he knew about the experiments… he probably knows about the cluster…" Garnet said as they all walked towards the warp pad.

"Garnet… you don't think he could have guessed our plan…" Pearl said as she placed her hand on her leader's shoulder.

"I can't say it for sure… but… he may be waiting for us…" Garnet replied with a hint of worry.

"Then Steven won't come with us!" Pearl said crossing her arms.

"But… Pearl!" Steven protested.

"No Steven! I'm putting my foot down! We almost lost you on Yellow Diamond's ship, this time we won't take that risk! We don't know anything about that… that… stranger, but he seems to know us and our moves and I-" Pearl said pointing at him, before Garnet stopped her placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Pearl… nothing could happen to Steven… we are in six and we'll all stay together during the entire mission…" Garnet said, as Pearl began to calm down.

"Yeah P, Garnet is right, plus tell me just one thing that is more useful than his shield! He saved our butts back at the Kindergarten…" Amethyst said.

"Well… I… I… ugh… fine… Steven will come… but you have to promise me you'll be careful and that you'll always stay near to us…" Pearl said as they all began to step on the warp pad.

"I promise!" Steven said happily as they all disappeared into the beam of light.


	9. Chapter 9: A new menace

**CHAPTER 9: A NEW MENACE**

"Then Steven won't come with us!" Pearl said crossing her arms.

"But… Pearl!" Steven protested.

"No Steven! I'm putting my foot down! We almost lost you on Yellow Diamond's ship, this time we won't take that risk! We don't know anything about that… that… stranger, but he seems to know us and our moves and I-" Pearl said pointing at him, before Garnet stopped her placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Pearl… nothing could happen to Steven… we are in six and we'll all stay together during the entire mission…" Garnet said, as Pearl began to calm down.

"Yeah P, Garnet is right, plus tell me just one thing that is more useful than his shield! He saved our butts back at the Kindergarten…" Amethyst said.

"Well… I… I… ugh… fine… Steven will come… but you have to promise me you'll be careful and that you'll always stay near to us…" Pearl said as they all began to step on the warp pad.

"I promise!" Steven said happily as they all disappeared into the beam of light.

The gems, alongside Steven, appeared on the edge of a tremendously high cliff, which overlooked the sea. As soon as they stepped off the warp pad, all of them began to look around, in order to spot any kind of opening that could lead them inside the research facility Peridot talked about. After some moments, the green gem pointed a particular, circular platform in the distance. As all of them looked at each other, nodding, they began to walk towards what looked like the entrance to the laboratory. Peridot found herself walking side by side with Lapis, she didn't know very much about feelings and emotions, but she could tell that Lapis didn't enjoy what she saw at the Kindergarten…

"Lapis?" Peridot called the blue gem.

"What is it?" Lapis said as she moved to Peridot's side.

"I… I'm… sorry… for what you saw at the Kindergarten… I know it must have been horrible… b-but I assure you that I don't have anything to do with that!" Peridot said as Lapis gave her a sad smile.

"I know Peri… you wouldn't have done something like that… thank you for caring for me…" Lapis said as a small blush appeared on Peridot's face.

"W-well I… I… I just d-did what good f- ehm… good teammates do for each other… isn't it?" Peridot muttered as Lapis stiffed a slight giggle.

"You can call me friend you know?" Lapis said as Peridot's eyes widened.

"O-of course I know…" Peridot said keeping her gaze low, as Lapis continued to giggle and walked towards the top of the group.

Peridot was more than conscious about the fact that she was beginning to form some kind of bonds, besides the one she already felt with Steven, even with the other gems, but she was still embarrassed about it, she couldn't still fully understand what feelings and emotions were and it startled her how they could turn an enemy into one of the people you cared the most for, despite this, knowing that Lapis didn't have anything against her and that she was ok, made her feel something rather pleasant, but… there was something that was still bothering her…

"P-Pearl?" Peridot said approaching her, as Pearl continued to follow the others.

"What do you want Peridot?" Pearl asked coldly as she remained turned towards the rest of the group.

"Pearl… I… I wanted to speak to you… a-about what you told me earlier… I… you know… I…" Peridot tried to speak but was interrupted by Garnet, who stopped walking alongside everyone else.

"Peridot… I need you here…" Garnet called her as she kneeled down on the platform.

"P-Pearl I-" Peridot said before being interrupted by the white gem.

"Now it's not the time to discuss such things… Garnet needs your help… we need to find whatever we need in order to charge the shard and destroy that abomination Homeworld created… are you going to do something in order to help us or not?" Pearl said, slightly turning his head towards the green gem.

"Y-yes…" Peridot said as she reached Garnet and began to examine the platform.

After some minutes, Peridot removed a panel and, shortly after having removed it, she managed to activate the mechanism contained in it, which caused the platform to begin a descent into the ground.

"Whatever happens… remember to stay close to each other… we don't know who or what is waiting for us down there…" Garnet said as they slowly descended into the darkness, not noticing the light that came from the warp pad… and the one who stepped off it.

"Rose…"

 **Meanwhile:**

 _"_ _It must be somewhere… there were so many… how can it be that I can't find even one of them!"_ A tall, dark figure, hidden behind a black cloak hissed as she wandered through the corridors of a dark and long forgotten facility.

 _"_ _They may be fools… they may be weak… but I'm alone… and they are many… but I won't let them find what they are searching for… she's not going to reach me in time… and if I really have to die… then they'll die with me… destroyed by what we created long time ago…"_ The dark figure said as suddenly, she stopped in front of a dark room… but even if it was dark… she could see something on the ground.

 _"_ _I knew you were here somewhere… we couldn't have used all of you isn't it?"_ The figure whispered as she took the small, round object in her hand and placed a finger on it, causing it to glow in a yellowish light.

After the faint, yellow glow dissipated, a bright and white one began to enlighten the small object, as it raised in the air, a slim silhouette began to emerge from it, while the sick laughter of the tall, humped figure echoed through the long and dark corridors of the laboratory.

 _"_ _You have been created only to obey me… this what you are… thinking that you're better than a servant will bring you only pain and suffering… obey me and you'll live… I am your master… my enemies are your enemies and they are going to be here soon… you'll destroy them as soon as you'll see them even if it will cost you your own life_ … _do you understand?"_ The tall figure said as the smaller one kneeled down.

"Yes… master…" The smaller figure said as she kept her gaze low, she had found her master, the one she belonged to, and now it was time to perform her duties of servant, even if it meant to die, this is what she has been created for, after all, a pearl didn't deserve any better.

 **Hi guys! We are back! Sorry for the long wait but I really had a long, stressful week at school and it isn't still over since even this week will be full of tests and stuff like that, however, we hope you have enjoyed this chapter, I'm going to publish another one the day after tomorrow and another one on Friday, maybe even a fourth update on Sunday but I can't say it for sure, thank you for all the reviews, favs and follows and keep reading if you want to discover who's the one that is following the gems, a friend? An enemy? Only time will tell… bye!**


	10. Chapter 10:What awaits on the other side

**CHAPTER 10:WHAT AWAITS ON THE OTHER SIDE**

 _"_ _You have been created only to obey me… this what you are… thinking that you're better than a servant will bring you only pain and suffering… obey me and you'll live… I am your master… my enemies are your enemies and they are going to be here soon… you'll destroy them as soon as you'll see them even if it will cost you your own life_ … _do you understand?"_ The tall figure said as the smaller one kneeled down.

"Yes… master…" The smaller figure said as she kept her gaze low, she had found her master, the one she belonged to, and now it was time to perform her duties of servant, even if it meant to die, this is what she has been created for, after all, a pearl didn't deserve any better.

"Now go servant… use everything you have in order to stop them… they're searching for something that is going to nullify our world's greatest creation… and I won't permit it… you won't permit it… those gems are nothing but fools… because… however strong, or determined they may be… they'll fail… for what they protect will come to an end anyway… this is the curse of this world…" The mysterious figure said as the pearl disappeared into the darkness, lurking through the corridors, searching for her master's enemies.

When the platform reached the ground, the gems, alongside Steven, found themselves in a circular and dark room, with five doors that lead to five, dark corridors. As soon as they all stepped off the platform, they began to inspect the surroundings while Peridot formed her holographic interface. After some moments she pointed towards the second door to their left.

"Peridot… where are we supposed to find the adapter?" Garnet asked as they began to walk towards the door the green gem indicated.

"The adapter should be located in one of the research rooms… while the core is located in the central room of the facility… there we should also find the main switch to reactivate the power… but the research rooms are nearer to our position… the shortage of light shouldn't be a problem…" Peridot stated as she continued to inspect what looked like a map of the facility on her holographic interface.

"Not even a bit…" Pearl said as a flash of light appeared from her gem.

"There are two research rooms in this facility… we'll have to walk through that corridor until we'll find a bifurcation… proceeding towards both directions will lead us to one of the two research rooms… Garnet…" Peridot said as she stepped towards Garnet.

"Yes?" Garnet answered as the green gem slightly sighed.

"I think we should split up…" Peridot said trying to sound convinced of her own idea.

"What?! Peridot this is exactly what we wanted not to do!" Pearl hissed as she pointed at her.

"Listen… I know what Garnet said but… there is no one else down here! If the one who attacked us in the Kindergarten had already arrived, then we should have found signs of his passage on the platform! But this doesn't mean that he won't come! So we shouldn't waste time searching one by one the research rooms, let's just split up and then head towards the core's room!" Peridot said keeping her gaze on Garnet.

"Garnet! Don't tell me that you will really stay here and hear these idiocies?!" Pearl said clenching her fists.

"At least I made a proposal that does have sense! All what you have been doing is making us waste time!" Peridot answered poking at Pearl's chest with her finger.

"Waste time?! I'm trying to stop you from putting all of us in danger!" Pearl said angrily.

"Why don't you just shut up! Why do you have always to intervene! Why can't you just be like all the hundreds of others of your kind and just stay silent!" Peridot yelled as Pearl gritted her teeth.

"Enough…" Garnet said placing her hand on Peridot's shoulder.

"Garnet… I-" Pearl tried to speak but was interrupted by her leader.

"Peridot is right… we mustn't waste time and Steven will be safe even if we split up…" Garnet said calmly.

"B-but…" Pearl muttered before being cut off another time.

"Come on P, we'll all be fine… now let's move before that creepy guy comes back to fry us…" Amethyst said as she slightly huffed.

"Ugh… fine… but I'm not going with her…" Pearl said as she pointed at Peridot.

"Fine! I wouldn't go with you either!" Peridot said turning around and crossing her arms.

"Alright, Amethyst, Steven and Pearl will go to the research room on the right, me, Lapis and Peridot will go the one on the left…" Garnet said as all of them looked at each other and nodded.

The gems remained silent until they reached the bifurcation Peridot talked about, they split into two groups and began to move towards the two research rooms.

"Remember… we have to stay close…" Garnet said as they kept moving.

"What were they doing in this place anyway?" Lapis asked as she looked around.

"Homeworld created this facility after the beginning of Rose Quartz's rebellion… it was used to find more simple and fast ways to create gems… since its losses were becoming much more than the number of gems Homeworld could create at the Kindergarten… I wasn't here at the time… but I believe that… as Homeworld's defeat was becoming more and more concrete…this facility became the site of a secret weapon… apparently they hadn't been able to create it in time…" Peridot said as Lapis assumed a perplexed expression.

"Why not?" The blue gem asked as Peridot turned towards her.

"Because now we wouldn't be talking to each other if they had…" Peridot answered.

"What kind of-" Lapis tried to ask before being interrupted.

"Peridot… is this the place?" Garnet asked as they all stopped in front of a closed iron gate.

"This should be the entrance of the research room number two… I should be able to give the control panel enough charge to make it open…" Peridot said as she placed one of her fingers on the small panel and sent an electric shock through the circuits.

"And… here we are…" The green gem exclaimed as the door opened revealing a large, rectangular room.

 **Meanwhile:**

"That arrogant little-" Pearl muttered under her breath as she walked through the dark corridor alongside Steven and Amethyst.

"Come one P, calm down! She just wanted us to be out of here as soon as possible!" Amethyst said snorting.

"Besides the fact that splitting up is always the wrong choice, I just can't stand at her! She thinks she's superior just because of my origins!" Pearl said before Steven began to speak.

"Pearl… what did Peridot mean when she said 'the others of your kind'?" Steven asked with a look of confusion on his face.

"U-uhm… I… I… well… on Homeworld… there are… hundreds of my kind Steven… hundreds of pears… and we… well we have been created to be servants... just servants with no particular abilities or even a free will… that's what Peridot intended… since I'm a common Pearl she-" Pearl said before being interrupted by Steven.

"That's not true!" Steven said as he took Pearl's hand with his own one.

"W-what?" Pearl asked in disbelief.

"You aren't common at all Pearl! If the other pearls don't have abilities or a will than you are completely different from them! You are really smart and you can swordfight and you can build things and many other things! You are amazing!" Steven said as Pearl smiled at him.

"Thank you Steven…" Pearl said as she gave him a slight kiss on the cheek.

"Is this the place?" Amethyst asked as they stopped in front of iron gate.

"I think it is… now let me just-" Pearl tried to speak but was interrupted by the sound of the research room's door opening.

 **Back with Garnet, Peridot and Lapis:**

"Let's begin to look for the adapter…" Garnet said as she, Peridot and Lapis began to inspect the room.

"What does it look like?" Lapis asked as Peridot kept looking around.

"Like a glass sphere with an opened circular section on the top, connected to a flexible hose composed of a conductive polymer…" Peridot answered as she began to open some compartments.

"I don't think that there is something like that here…" Garnet said as she crossed her arms.

"Fantastic… this means that it must be in the other research room… let's-" Peridot stopped talking abruptly.

"Peri? Is everything fine?" Lapis asked as Peridot assumed a worried expression.

"The other research room… on my screen I can see the energy emanated by our gems and by the gems of Pearl, Amethyst and Steven… they are represented by these light green points on my map and they are right in front of the research room's door…" Peridot said as Lapis's eyes widened.

"Then… who does the one from the other part of the gate represent?" Lapis asked with a slightly shaky voice.

"We must run…" Garnet said as they all bolted out the room.


	11. Chapter 11: Pearl against Pearl

**CHAPTER 11: PEARL AGAINST PEARL**

"That arrogant little-" Pearl muttered under her breath as she walked through the dark corridor alongside Steven and Amethyst.

"Come one P, calm down! She just wanted us to be out of here as soon as possible!" Amethyst said snorting.

"Besides the fact that splitting up is always the wrong choice, I just can't stand at her! She thinks she's superior just because of my origins!" Pearl said before Steven began to speak.

"Pearl… what did Peridot mean when she said 'the others of your kind'?" Steven asked with a look of confusion on his face.

"U-uhm… I… I… well… on Homeworld… there are… hundreds of my kind Steven… hundreds of pears… and we… well we have been created to be servants... just servants with no particular abilities or even a free will… that's what Peridot intended… since I'm a common Pearl she-" Pearl said before being interrupted by Steven.

"That's not true!" Steven said as he took Pearl's hand with his own one.

"W-what?" Pearl asked in disbelief.

"You aren't common at all Pearl! If the other pearls don't have abilities or a will than you are completely different from them! You are really smart and you can swordfight and you can build things and many other things! You are amazing!" Steven said as Pearl smiled at him.

"Thank you Steven…" Pearl said as she gave him a slight kiss on the cheek.

"Is this the place?" Amethyst asked as they stopped in front of iron gate.

"I think it is… now let me just-" Pearl tried to speak but was interrupted by the sound of the research room's door opening.

"Pearl? Did you-" Steven asked as Pearl began to step back.

"I… I didn't do anything… s-stay back!" Pearl exclaimed as she summoned her spear.

"What the…" Amethyst whispered as the door opened completely, revealing a dark entrance to the research room… dark… but not completely… since two… yellowish eyes shined in the shadows as steps could be heard.

"Guys… I don't think we're alone in this place…" Steven said as Pearl stayed in front of him, ready to protect him from everything that was going to emerge from the darkness.

Needless to say… none of them… especially Pearl were prepared for what came in the next moment. Slowly, a tall, thin figure emerged from the darkness… she was wearing a long, black dress with a yellow diamond on her chest, long, black gloves covering her arms… but what startled them the most… was the black, round gem… on her forehead.

"No… how is this even-" Pearl managed to say before being interrupted by a yellowish light coming from the black gem.

"Pearl what-" Steven tried to speak but was cut off by Pearl, who rushed towards him and pushed him aside before the attacker could hit him.

In fact, it was a matter of seconds before she placed her hand on her gem and extracted a long, white katana blade and jumped towards Steven, who barely managed to dodge her attack, thanks to Pearl, who began to attack the black gem as soon as she pushed him away. Amethyst summoned her whip and rushed towards the fighting duo and as she cried Pearl's name, she spin dashed towards her opponent, who jumped out of her way dodging her attack. Despite the fact that she was alone, the gem managed to dodge all of Pearl and Amethyst's attacks, that was until, dodging Pearl's spear she left herself exposed, giving her back to Amethyst.

"You're mine!" Amethyst cried as she tried to slash her opponent.

But as her whip was going to struck the attacker, the black gem jumped in the air and landed behind her. All happened in a moment, Amethyst turning around, Pearl and Steven's eyes becoming wide as a white blade emerged from her back. In a matter of seconds Amethyst disappeared into clouds leaving her gem on the ground.

"Amethyst…" Pearl whispered as she remained motionless.

"Pearl!" Steven said as he rushed towards the immobile gem, looking at the black one who charged with her sword, ready to strike.

"Steven… Steven!" Pearl yelled as she realized what was happening.

The black gem rushed towards Pearl, sword in hands, ready to eliminate another of her opponents, but as she reached her and lowered her weapon, she found herself hitting a bright, pink bubble.

"Pearl, are you ok?" Steven asked as he stretched his arms forward, preventing his bubble from being crushed, as Pearl stumbled and fell back, struck by a great sense of disbelief, what was a pearl doing here? And why did she look so different from the other pearls she had met during her life on Homeworld?

"Yes… thank you…" Pearl said as she kept her gaze on the black gem, who stared back for moment, her two, yellow, malicious eyes meeting hers, before she began to hit Steven's bubble mercilessly.

"Stop! Why are you doing this?!" Steven asked as the gem stopped hitting for a moment.

"Why… why am I…" The black pearl whispered as she lowered her gaze.

For a long, tense moment, Steven hold his breath, keeping his eyes on her, he didn't know anything about this gem, but he could tell that what she was doing, has probably been imposed to her and maybe, just like Peridot, he could do something to help her… but it all ended when she shook her head and raised her gaze.

"I'm doing this for my mistress! Her will is also mine! She wants me to eliminate her enemies and this is what I'm supposed to do! This is what I had been created for!" The black pearl yelled angrily as she lifted her sword in the air.

"That's not true! Whoever told you that is wrong! You don't have to do this! You can chose!" Steven said clenching his fists.

"I… I can c-" The gem managed to say before being cut off by a scream coming from behind the bubble.

It was Garnet, who managed to reach Steven and Pearl in time. She jumped over Steven's bubble and landed behind the assailant, quickly disarming her. She was going to hit her but just as she throw a punch towards her, the black pearl dodged her attack and rushed towards the research room's entrance, she briefly turned around only to see five opponents ready to fight her, and that was the moment when she began to experiment something new… something her mistress didn't tell her about… fear.

"I… I don't want to… die…" The black pearl whispered as her eyes became wide, before turning around and disappearing into the shadows.

"Guys? Who was that?" Steven asked as he helped Pearl up.

"I… I don't… know… I have never seen a gem… like that before… but… there was… something… something… familiar…" Pearl muttered as she reached for Amethyst's gem, while they all looked towards the dark room where the gem disappeared.

 **Meanwhile:**

"Servant… did you accomplish your task?" The tall, humped figure asked turning towards her servant.

But the pearl remained silent, because she knew what was going to happen if she said that she had failed her task.

"Servant… answer my question…" The dark figure hissed as she moved towards the pearl.

"I… I…" The pearl muttered in fear as her mistress came nearer and nearer.

"Answer me now…" She asked as she stopped in front of the now trembling pearl, towering over her.

"N-no…" The pearl said as suddenly… she was lifted in the air by her mistress… who held her up by her throat.

"You failed… and you escaped like a coward… even if you knew what I would have done…" The figure hissed maliciously.

"No… no please… please d-don't shatter me… I'm afraid… I… I d-don't want t-to die!" The pearl cried as her mistress let her fall on the ground.

"It seems that whatever I'll do… wherever I'll search… I'll never find a proper servant… fear is something that you shouldn't feel… how could I even think that some lost, broken, defective pearl like you could be helpful… I should destroy you now… but at least… you should work as distraction for those traitors… follow me…" She said, as the two of them silently made their way towards the center of the facility, the pearl wondering if all what she would have felt during her entire life would have been what her mistress called fear… needless to say… she didn't like the idea.

 **Hi guys! We hope you have liked this chapter, sorry for the delay but I had so many things to do and I didn't even find the time to update a chapter, so we hope you are enjoying our story and this was the real first appearence of my coworker's character Black Pearl, her origins and her character will be explained much more deeply during the next chapters, we hope she made a good first impression, to the next chapter!**


	12. Chapter 12: The power of hate

**CHAPTER 12: THE POWER OF HATE**

"I… I don't… know… I have never seen a gem… like that before… but… there was… something… something… familiar…" Pearl muttered as she reached for Amethyst's gem, while they all looked towards the dark room where the gem disappeared.

 **Meanwhile:**

"Servant… did you accomplish your task?" The tall, humped figure asked turning towards her servant.

But the pearl remained silent, because she knew what was going to happen if she said that she had failed her task.

"Servant… answer my question…" The dark figure hissed as she moved towards the pearl.

"I… I…" The pearl muttered in fear as her mistress came nearer and nearer.

"Answer me now…" She asked as she stopped in front of the now trembling pearl, towering over her.

"N-no…" The pearl said as suddenly… she was lifted in the air by her mistress… who held her up by her throat.

"You failed… and you escaped like a coward… even if you knew what I would have done…" The figure hissed maliciously.

"No… no please… please d-don't shatter me… I'm afraid… I… I d-don't want t-to die!" The pearl cried as her mistress let her fall on the ground.

"It seems that whatever I'll do… wherever I'll search… I'll never find a proper servant… fear is something that you shouldn't feel… how could I even think that some lost, broken, defective pearl like you could be helpful… I should destroy you now… but at least… you should work as distraction for those traitors… follow me…" She said, as the two of them silently made their way towards the center of the facility, the pearl wondering if all what she would have felt during her entire life would have been what her mistress called fear… needless to say… she didn't like the idea.

"Mistress?" Black Pearl asked as they were walking towards a dark corridor, slowly making their way towards the core's room.

"What is it servant?" She answered without turning her gaze towards the pearl.

"Why must I fight?" Black Pearl asked looking at her.

"Because so I have told you…" The figure replied coldly.

"Why must we fight them? What did they do?" The pearl asked as her mistress stopped walking, she expected her to hit her another time, but this time, she just put a hand on her shoulder, her mistress knew things about her that she still didn't know, she knew about the powers she gave her and she could see that her pearl was beginning to cast doubts upon her acting… and she couldn't permit it… she could see that this wasn't a normal pearl… she had her own mind… she could be afraid… she could have feelings… she was defective… but not useless… in fact… she would have used those feelings to make her even more determined to eliminate her enemies.

"Long time ago… all gemkind lived happily on Homeworld… that was our home but as time passed… we became too many… so we decided to travel towards the galaxies… searching for a new place to call home… we found the Earth and we thought we had finally found our new home… but… a despicable gem called Rose Quartz, whose desire was nothing more than having complete power over gemkind… betrayed us… she killed countless of our kind and once she had decimated us… she confined us on Homeworld and took the Earth as her new kingdom… we tried to stop her creating a gem fusion composed of the ones we lost… we wanted them to come back to us and help us fight the one who took their lives… but we couldn't see them coming back to us… it was too late… and now those evil gems are still here and they are trying to destroy that fusion before it even comes to life… so that nothing will ever be able to stop them…" The tall figure told, as she faked to wipe a tear under the hood of her cloak.

"They… they are… monsters… how could they kill people of their own kind?! I'm going to make them pay for what they did to us!" Black Pearl hissed as she clenched her fists.

"Yes… let that hate become part of you… you don't need to be afraid anymore… because it will make you stronger than any of those gems…" The figure said as she tittered maliciously.

"But… there is something that I… can't remember… in that group… I… I saw a… a gem which was just like me… and… it seemed so familiar…" Black Pearl said as her expression softened.

"I see you still can't recall what happened between you two… she was the one who left you alone in this place… she betrayed your trust and passed to the enemy side… leaving you in their hands…" The figure said as she began to walk, leaving Black Pearl behind.

"I'm going to shatter all of them… but you… you'll be the one which I'll make suffer the most… this life… this life now has a sense… making the one who made it a nightmare suffer for it!" Black Pearl said as she followed her mistress in the shadows.

 **Meanwhile:**

"I think she's coming back!" Steven said as she pointed at Amethyst's gem, which began to glow in Pearl's hands.

"Already?" Peridot whispered in disbelief.

"She has always been fast in doing that…" Garnet stated as the purple gem rose in the air.

"You are min- hey?! Whe- where is that…?" Amethyst asked as she landed on the ground.

"Garnet made her run away…" Lapis stated as she looked towards the dark room.

"We mustn't waste time… if she's here… that could mean that even the one who attacked us in the Kindergarten is waiting for us… let's find the adapter and then head for the core's room…" Garnet said as she walked towards the opened door.

The group entered the research room and as they began to search for the adapter, they all began to think about what they had seen some minutes before… none of them could tell what kind of gem they had fought… it looked like a pearl but her gem was black… could it be another defective one… abandoned in the research facility during the rebellion because of it… if she was… why would she fight against them… why fight the gems who went against the ones that despised a gem just because she was different… this train of thought was interrupted by Amethyst's voice.

"I think I found the thingy!" Amethyst said out loud as she pointed at what looked like the adapter described by Peridot.

 **Hello guys! We are back! Sorry for the delay but I really had a lot to study plus there were a lot of serious things I needed to do (cough undertale cough) but now I'm back! I fixed the chapter and tomorrow Chapter 13 will arrive! If it was for my coworker we would have posted sooner but I really had a full period... so... sorry again and thank you all for the reviews, favs and follows, three new chapters are going to be posted very soon! To the next chapter! Bye!**


	13. Chapter 13: Battle at the core

**CHAPTER 13: BATTLE AT THE CORE**

"I think she's coming back!" Steven said as she pointed at Amethyst's gem, which began to glow in Pearl's hands.

"Already?" Peridot whispered in disbelief.

"She has always been fast in doing that…" Garnet stated as the purple gem rose in the air.

"You are min- hey?! Whe- where is that…?" Amethyst asked as she landed on the ground.

"Garnet made her run away…" Lapis stated as she looked towards the dark room.

"We mustn't waste time… if she's here… that could mean that even the one who attacked us in the Kindergarten is waiting for us… let's find the adapter and then head for the core's room…" Garnet said as she walked towards the opened door.

The group entered the research room and as they began to search for the adapter, they all began to think about what they had seen some minutes before… none of them could tell what kind of gem they had fought… it looked like a pearl but her gem was black… could it be another defective one… abandoned in the research facility during the rebellion because of it… if she was… why would she fight against them… why fight the gems who went against the ones that despised a gem just because she was different… this train of thought was interrupted by Amethyst's voice.

"I think I found the thingy!" Amethyst said out loud as she pointed at what looked like the adapter described by Peridot.

"Good work Amethyst!" Pearl exclaimed as she began to approach the device.

"Now we just need to reach the core, turn on the power and charge the shard… Amethyst… help Pearl holding the adapter…" Garnet said as she looked at the room's exit.

"I got it…" Amethyst said as she grabbed the hose while Pearl held the glass sphere.

"Now… let's head towards the core… and all of you… be careful… that gem was talking about a mistress when I reached you… and I think I know who she's talking about…" Garnet said as she turned towards the group.

"Garnet… do you think… the one she was talking about… is the same person who attacked us at Kindergarten?" Pearl asked in a worried tone as she stared at her leader.

"That's what I was thinking… so… from now on… let's stick together…" Garnet answered as she began to step towards the exit.

All of the gems began to follow her through the dark corridor as Pearl provided some light thanks to her gem. After a long moment of silent, Pearl approached Garnet and while the two began to discuss about the eventuality of having to deal again with their assailants, Lapis noticed how Peridot's hands were trembling slightly as she looked her holographic interface.

"Hey… are you alright?" Lapis asked as she placed her hand on Peridot's shoulder, giving her a slight smile.

"Yes…" Peridot replied coldly as she kept her eyes fixed on her interface.

"Peridot…" Lapis spoke in a soft tone.

"I… I said I'm ok…" Peridot said, trying to sound calm.

"Your hands are trembling…" Lapis said as Peridot closed her eyes, she tried to calm down, she tried to make her hands remain still, but she couldn't do it… that… until she felt a pair of hands covering her ones… which slowly began to become steady.

"L-Lapis?" Peridot asked as she looked in awe at the blue gem.

"You know you don't need to be afraid anymore right? We are all together Peridot… we all care about each other… and we'll always protect each other, no matter what happens…" Lapis said as Peridot gave her a slight smile.

"Hehe… even after all what I have to you… you still pretend to consider me a friend?" Peridot asked as she lowered her gaze.

"I'm not pretending to consider you a friend… you are my friend Peridot… what happened in the past doesn't matter... the only thing that matters is that you have changed… you understood that what you were doing was wrong and you did the right thing… just like me…" Lapis said as the green gem smiled sadly.

"Yes… I… I did betray Homeworld too… in the end… I'm no better than you, Steven or the others… I tried to fight it at first but… I… I really wanted to protect Steven… I felt it was the right thing to do… I'm… I'm just a defective gem…" Peridot whispered as a small tear streamed down her face.

"Peridot… stop saying all this nonsense… now… listen to me… you… are… not… a defective gem… neither am I… nor Steven, or Pearl, or Amethyst, or Garnet… none of us is defective… and you know why? Because all what we did was deciding to stay with people who showed us love and compassion instead of staying with people who showed us nothing more than hate and ingratitude… does that really mean that there is something wrong in us? Don't you think that if all the gems had the possibility to fell what is like to be loved and appreciated… they would all choose to leave Homeworld?" Lapis said as Peridot wiped her cheek.

"Y-you're right Lapis… thank you…" Peridot said as the two smiled to each other.

"I think this is the place…" Garnet said as the group reached a large, circular room, with a great cylinder positioned right at the center of it.

"This is the core's room… now… let me see if I can…" Peridot said as she approached a panel right next the entrance of the room and proceeded to remove it.

"Once the power is on… we'll have to reach that cylindrical container… it contains the core… once I'll have opened it we'll have to plug the adapter in it and use it to charge the shard… ok… just one moment aaaaand… done!" She exclaimed as the light began to turn on.

"Now… let's reach th- WHATCH OUT!" Garnet yelled as she saw a bolt of energy coming towards them.

The bolt came from a tall figure which appeared from behind the cylinder, in fact, as soon as the light was turned on, she stretched her long, thin arm towards the group, ready to strike. Everyone managed to move… except for Peridot… as she turned around and saw the bolt coming towards her, she remained motionless. Peridot closed her eyes, ready to feel the bolt hitting her… but instead of feeling herself being electrocuted, she felt herself being pushed away. When she opened her eyes, she noticed she was on the ground… Pearl over her.


	14. Chapter 14: Old memories

**CHAPTER 14: OLD MEMORIES**

The bolt came from a tall figure which appeared from behind the cylinder, in fact, as soon as the light was turned on, she stretched her long, thin arm towards the group, ready to strike. Everyone managed to move… except for Peridot… as she turned around and saw the bolt coming towards her, she remained motionless. Peridot closed her eyes, ready to feel the bolt hitting her… but instead of feeling herself being electrocuted, she felt herself being pushed away. When she opened her eyes, she noticed she was on the ground… Pearl over her.

"W-what? P-Pearl? I-I-" Peridot muttered in disbelief.

"We don't have time for this… now come with me! While Garnet, Amethyst and Lapis keep her busy… we can reach the container and charge the shard…" Pearl said as she helped Peridot up.

"Amethyst! Go!" Garnet yelled as the tall figure sent another bolt towards them.

Amethyst began to rush towards her and as she was half way from her, she performed her spin dash attack. As she spin dashed, the figure tried to hit Amethyst sending many bolts towards her, but she managed to dodge all of them… until she jumped over her and tried to slash her with her whip. As soon as the whip descended towards her, the figure grasped it and made Amethyst twirl in the air a few times… before sending her fly towards Lapis, knocking the two of them to the ground.

"Amethyst! Lapis!" Steven yelled as he reached the two of them.

 _"_ _Why are you fighting? You know that you don't stand a chance against us… and even if you defeat us… what will you do when other gems will come to shatter you?"_ The tall figure said as Garnet rushed towards her.

"It doesn't matter even if the whole Homeworld will come here! As long as we'll put our hearts together… we can't lose!" Garnet yelled as she began to threw punches at her opponent.

 _"_ _You… are… a… fool!"_ The dark figure said as she dodged all of Garnet's attacks before hitting her straight in the face.

 _"_ _Haven't you realized it? You can't win… you should be the less determined… after all… I bet there isn't a single future in which you and your worthless friends survive…"_ She said as she moved her hand under her cloak… where a faint glow appeared. Suddenly, from under it, she pulled out a long, broken sword, the tip was missing and the blade was damaged, but… it was still a weapon… and with it she could have easily shattered Garnet.

"You're wrong!" Garnet cried as the figure placed her foot on her chest.

 _"_ _Oh really… can you prove it to me?"_ The figure said tittering evilly.

Garnet smiled slightly as she raised her head, watching towards Pearl and Peridot. As she watched them, the figure turned around for a moment and stared in disbelief as she saw Peridot opening the container, revealing the spherical, bright yellow core. In that moment, Garnet grasped the figure's leg and made her fall to the ground.

"There's still hope!" Garnet cried as she raised her gauntlets in the air, ready to strike her opponent.

 _"_ _Let's see how they'll keep you safe now…"_ The figure said chuckling.

It all happened in a moment, Garnet tried to turn around but before she could do it, a white blade emerged from her chest. A thin figure, which passed unnoticed until that very moment, managed to get behind her… Black Pearl managed to strike Garnet down…

"S-Steven…" Garnet managed to whisper before disappearing into clouds.

"Garnet!" Everyone cried as the leader was taken down by the black gem.

 _"_ _Well done servant… now… make the one who betrayed you suffer the same pain you have endured…"_ The dark figure told Black Pearl as she pointed at Pearl, before turning towards Steven.

"Steven! Stay behind me!" Lapis said as her wings appeared from her back.

"Lapis no! There's no water down here! H-how are you going to fight?!" Steven cried as he grabbed her wrist.

"It doesn't matter! I'm not going to let that monster hurt you!" Lapis yelled back as the dark figure approached them… sword in hand.

 _"_ _Come on little witch… what do you think you can do against me? I'm superior to- argh!"_ The dark figure managed to say before Lapis flew towards her at an incredible speed, dodged her sword and kicked her right in the face.

"Did I interrupt your monologue?" Lapis said as she kept flying around her.

 _"_ _You're lucky I'm in this state… but don't think you stand a chance against me… even with only one arm… I'm still going to shatter you…"_ The figure replied as she began to rush towards the blue gem.

"Okay… now we just have to plug the adapter into the core and... w-what out! Behind you!" Peridot yelled as she saw Black Pearl running towards them.

Pearl turned around just in time to block the black gem's attack, who jumped over her and tried to slash her opponent with her sword. Even if Pearl was fast and managed to block all of the black gem's attacks, as time passed they didn't get slower or less intense.

"Why are you doing this?! Stop! You don't need to fight against us!" Pearl cried as she dodged another attack.

"STOP TALKING! I WON'T LISTEN TO YOU! I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID!" Black Pearl yelled back as she attacked furiously.

"W-what? What are you talking about?!" Pearl said, confused by her opponent's words.

"As if you don't remember! But my mistress remembers everything about your dirty leader and how she decimated our kind only because of her lust of power! And she told me how you betrayed me and abandoned me in this horrible place!" Black Pearl shouted as she tried again to attack.

But this time, as she tried to slash Pearl, the white gem managed to disarm her and push her to the ground, the tip of her spear hanging on the black gem on her opponent's forehead. Pearl had won, but… there was something that was preventing her from pushing her spear a little more forwards… a memory she had buried deep in the recess of her mind…

"Y-you… n-no… it… it can't be…" Pearl muttered as she looked straight in the black gem's eyes.

"C-come on… do it… w-what are you waiting for?! T-take everything from me! Take my life away! Y-you did it before… j-just… end this… I… I can't take this anymore…" Black Pearl whispered as tears started to stream down her face.

"D-do you really believe what that monster told you?" Pearl said as she began to raise her spear.

"W-what are you doing?! Kill me! Y-you won't have another opportunity to strike me down…" Black Pearl said as she grabbed Pearl's spear… but Pearl immediately ripped away from her hands.

"Answer me!" Pearl cried as her own tears began to stream down her face.

"W-what? O-of course! She is my mistress! She freed me! She would have never lied to me!" Black Pearl shouted as she stood up and summoned another sword… ready to attack.

"I… I didn't remember you… until now… I guess… that memory was too painful for me to live with… but now I remember you… don't you remember me?" Pearl said softly as she lowered her weapon.

For a single moment, Black Pearl remained silent, did her mistress tell her the truth? She couldn't remember the gem she was fighting, but she remembered her? If only she could remember… that was the moment when Black Pearl felt a sharp pain in her head… a pain so great to make her cry… every time she tried to remember… images of her mistress appeared in her mind… followed by a terrible pain.

"Stop it!" Black Pearl cried as she began to attack again, but this time… Pearl didn't raise her spear…

Black Pearl's sword sliced through her arm, making Pearl loose her weapon. In front of this gem, Pearl couldn't do anything… she remained motionless… a memory of an old friend blocking her from doing even the slightest movement. Black Pearl raised her sword again, ready to strike one last time. It would have been the end of the white gem… if it wasn't for a bright… green… sphere of energy… which hit Black Pearl right in her chest… making her fly towards the room's wall… Pearl turned around and saw the one who saved her life… Peridot… who was breathing deeply… her hand turned into a blaster.

"Come on! Give me a hand! We don't have time!" Peridot yelled as she held the adapter's hose in front of Pearl.


	15. Chapter 15: The shadow under the hood

**CHAPTER 15: THE SHADOW UNDER THE HOOD**

Black Pearl's sword sliced through her arm, making Pearl loose her weapon. In front of this gem, Pearl couldn't do anything… she remained motionless… a memory of an old friend blocking her from doing even the slightest movement. Black Pearl raised her sword again, ready to strike one last time. It would have been the end of the white gem… if it wasn't for a bright… green… sphere of energy… which hit Black Pearl right in her chest… making her fly towards the room's wall… Pearl turned around and saw the one who saved her life… Peridot… who was breathing deeply… her hand turned into a blaster.

"Come on! Give me a hand! We don't have time!" Peridot yelled as she held the adapter's hose in front of Pearl.

As soon as Peridot stopped talking, Pearl remained motionless, she couldn't still believe what had just happened, if it wasn't for Peridot… she would have died. But now it wasn't the moment for this kind of thoughts, right now, Peridot needed her, all of her friends needed her.

"R-right!" Pearl said as she grabbed the hose and walked towards the core.

"Now plug it into the core! There's a circular panel on it! Just move the hose towards it and it should open automatically!" Peridot said quickly as she held the glass sphere.

"Got it!" Pearl said as she reached the panel and plugged the hose into it.

"Now… we need the shard!" Peridot cried as Pearl's gem began to glow… but it suddenly stopped as they heard a loud scream.

 _"_ _I got you!"_ The dark figure said, after she managed to catch Lapis by her leg and smashed her into the ground before throwing her towards Steven.

"Lapis!" Pearl cried as she stepped towards the injured friend.

"Pearl no! I need you here!" Peridot cried as she grasped the white gem by her shoulder.

"B-but… Amethyst is still knocked down! So is Lapis! Steven can't win against her!" Pearl said as she turned towards the young boy.

"Pearl! Steven can protect them as long as he will use his shield! We just need to charge the shard then we'll reach him!" Peridot said as Pearl remained silent for a moment, then reluctantly nodded.

"Y-you won't hurt them anymore!" Steven said as he took a step towards the towering figure.

 _"_ _After all what happened… you are still alive… I'm impressed… but without your worthless friends you won't survive a minute against me…"_ The dark figure said as she pulled out her sword, ready to strike… she brought it down towards her enemy, but instead of a scream of pain, she felt a loud sound of metal clashing against something solid… something solid, bright and pink.

"Don't worry guys! I'll protect you!" Steven said as he looked at Amethyst and Lapis, who were just behind him on the ground, before turning towards the towering figure, as he continued to block her attacks using his shield, which became five times bigger than his normal one.

 _"_ _I must admit it… you've become stronger… but you won't ever be as strong as me! Now… just… give… up! You can't win!"_ The dark figure screamed as she continued to hit mercilessly Steven's shield.

"You're wrong! In fact… we already did it!" Steven said as he looked past the figure towards Pearl and Peridot.

 _"_ _W-what?! No!"_ The dark figure yelled as she realized that Pearl and Peridot were charging the shard… her servant wasn't there to stop them… and she realized that they managed to defeat her too late.

 _"_ _Argh! Damn you!"_ She screamed as she threw at them her sword.

"Watch out!" Pearl screamed as she pushed Peridot to the ground, dodging the sword…

Pearl and Peridot watched each other for a moment, the green gem still baffled by the white's one actions, even after all what she said to her, she still wanted to protect her, but her train of thoughts was interrupted by a bright light coming from behind them. Indeed… they managed to dodge the sword… but instead of hitting them… it hit the core… which now displayed a large… bright crack. Peridot's eyes became wide as memories of what happened on Yellow Diamond's ship came back to her mind.

"T-the core has been damaged! It won't remain stable for long! We have to get out of here!" Peridot yelled as Pearl helped her up.

"We have the shard! Let's help Steven and escape before it's too late!" Pearl said as she and Peridot began to run towards the exhausted child.

 _"_ _You can't hold any longer! Just die!"_ The dark figure screamed as she throw her sword away and began to shot a great burst of energy towards Steven's shield, which began to crack.

"G-g-guys! H-help!" Steven managed to say before he collapsed on his knees.

"Steven! Resist!" Pearl cried as she grabbed Garnet's gems up from the ground and continued to run towards the boy… but his shield would have been destroyed before she could reach him… Pearl saw how Steven's shield cracked in two before disappearing… she wouldn't have been able to save Steven… her sweet child.

"Steven!" Pearl cried stretching her arm towards him.

 _"_ _DIE!"_ The figure cried one last time before grabbing her sword, raising it into the air and bringing it down towards Steven.

What happened next caused everyone to remain speechless… Steven was on his knees, arms covering his face, but in front of him there wasn't that dark, threatening figure anymore… instead… a slightly smaller one was standing in front of him breathing heavily, her hand still balled up into a fist. She had white, long hair and wore a multicolored bodysuit… which… right on her chest… displayed a yellow star… a strange, circular black and gray gem that looked like if it was composed of many little pieces right at its center… all of the gems watched her in disbelief… no one has ever seen her before… but one thing was certain… she had just saved Steven.

"R-R-Rose?" The mysterious gem muttered as she looked at Steven.

"Uuuh… m-my name is-" Steven tried to talk but was interrupted by a loud groan.

"A-argh… h-how did you…" The dark figure said as she stood up from the ground, still recovering from the gem's attack… but there was something different this time… her hood was pulled down…

"N-no… no no no no!" Peridot cried in dispair as she looked at her.

 _"_ _What… oh… well… I hoped you'd discover about who I am later… I really wished my sister could see that horrified look on your faces too… but I guess… the death of all of you will be enough to satisfy me…"_ The figure said as she let her cloak fall to the ground.

"How is it possible?" Pearl muttered in disbelief.

In front of them, there was a tall gem, she was wearing a black and yellow bodysuit… her right arm was missing and her eyes looked like mirrors… the yellow gem on her chest presented a deep crack right in the middle of it and so did her face… but after all what had happened between them… how could they forget her.

"Y-Yellow Diamond…" Steven whispered in disbelief.

 **Hello guys! So we are back with another beautiful, incredibly exciting, well written chapter! (really modest) We hope you have liked it, the mysterious gem who saved Steven is the second character of my coworker and we'll deepen her story thorugh the next chapters... and well... now you know who the dark, threatening figure is! Yellow Diamond is back! A little busted if you want my opinion but still... she's still alive and so is her servant. However thanks again for all the reviews, favs and follows and we'll see you in the next chapters! Bye!**


	16. Chapter 16: The run

**CHAPTER 16: THE RUN**

"N-no… no no no no!" Peridot cried in dispair as she looked at her.

 _"_ _What… oh… well… I hoped you'd discover about who I am later… I really wished my sister could see that horrified look on your faces too… but I guess… the death of all of you will be enough to satisfy me…"_ The figure said as she let her cloak fall to the ground.

"How is it possible?" Pearl muttered in disbelief.

In front of them, there was a tall gem, she was wearing a black and yellow bodysuit… her right arm was missing and her eyes looked like mirrors… the yellow gem on her chest presented a deep crack right in the middle of it and so did her face… but after all what had happened between them… how could they forget her.

"Y-Yellow Diamond…" Steven whispered in disbelief.

"Yes… it is I… I was the one who attacked you at the Kindergarten… after the explosion of my ship… my gem fell into the ocean… when I reformed… I noticed that my gem was cracked and that parts of my body were missing… it is a disgrace that I lack the power you have Steven… but don't worry… I'll take it from your corpse…" Yellow Diamond said as a malicious grin appeared on her face.

"S-stay… away…" The mysterious gem white haired gem hissed as she stood in front of Steven, shielding him from the Homeworld's leader.

"I don't need to come near… I'll just search between the debris of this place… and find his lifless little body…" Yellow Diamond said tittering viciously as she began to step back before turning around and running towards the exit of the core's room.

"Ngh…" Black Pearl grunted as she stood up and began to follow her master.

"Stop!" Pearl cried as she lifted her arm towards the escaping gem.

Just for a moment, Black Pearl stopped, she turned around and stared in Pearl's widened eyes, neither of the two gems managed to say a word, they just stared at each other for what it felt an eternity, then, Black Pearl shook her head and rushed towards the room's exit, she knew that there was something wrong with her, why did it hurt so much when she tried to remember? Still, she believed her master, she was the one who freed her and told her the truth… the truth…

"W-we… must… escape!" The mysterious gem cried as she took Steven under her arm and began to rush towards the exit.

"Whoa! W-wait a second!" Steven yelled as he was lifted from the ground.

"Get your hands off him!" Pearl cried as she began to run towards the escaping gem.

"Pearl! This is not the time for this! Whoever that gem is, she saved Steven! She is not a threat to him! But this place is a threat to all of us and it is going to blow up very soon! I need you to help Amethyst while I'll help Lapis, they're still weak and they won't get out of here without you helping me!" Peridot cried as she grabbed Pearl's wrist.

"I…I…" Pearl said as she hesitated for a moment… before nodding and rushing towards Amethyst, Garnet's gems still in her hands.

"Come on Lapis! I'll get you out of here!" Peridot said taking the blue gem's arm and putting it over her shoulder, as Pearl did the same with Amethyst.

All of them began to walk as fast as they could, trying to reach the elevator. As they reached the circular room from where they entered the facility, they sighed in relief seeing that the elevator was ready to take them out from that place.

"S-Steven must have done it! He sent it back!" Pearl cried as she stepped over it, followed by Peridot.

"I'm sure it is so P…" Amethyst grunted as she sat down, still weak from the previous fight.

"Ok… everybody get ready to leave this place!" Peridot said as she rushed towards the control panel.

 **Meanwhile:**

"R-Rose… a-re y-you ok?" The mysterious gem asked as sat Steven down over the warp pad.

"Ehm, I'm fine… and thank you for taking me out and letting me send back the elevator but… I'm… I'm not Rose…" Steven muttered as the gem remained motionless.

"W-what?" The gem asked in disbelief as she put her hands over Steven's shoulders.

"Y-you see… I-" Steven tried to speak but was interrupted as a scream came from behind them.

"LET HIM GO!" Pearl cried as she, alongside Peridot, Lapis and Amethyst rushed towards the duo.

The gem, seeing four gems rushing towards her, began to step back, she managed to save Steven from Yellow Diamond… but this time there were four opponents who wanted to attack her.

"Guys wait!" Steven said as he stepped towards them.

"Y-you are… with t-them…" The gem hissed as she stepped over the warp pad.

"W-wait! They are good! They're not-" Steven tried to speak but he could see how much scared the gem in front of him was… it was no use talking… in fact… the gem disappeared into a beam of light.

"Steven!" Pearl cried as she lunged at him and engulfed him in a tight hug.

"Are you hurt? Did that gem hurt you? Did-" Pearl said frenetically as she checked him for injures.

"Pearl I'm fine! Really! She didn't want to hurt me, she wanted to help me… but… she thinks I'm mom…" Steven said in sad tone of voice.

"Well… the only thing that matters is that we're all fine… and that we got the shard…" Pearl said as Peridot stepped on the warp pad alongside Lapis and Amethyst.

"I… ehm… hate to ruin this… this display of affection but I think we should warp home before the hole place is disintegrated..:" Peridot said as Pearl raised her head and nodded, all of them disappearing into the beam of light.

 **At the beach house, that night:**

As Steven went to bed, Amethyst entered her room, needing a break from all what happened during the day. When Ruby and Sapphire reformed, they couldn't be happier to see each other again and after they reformed, they began to talk with Lapis about creating a room in the temple just for her, after all, Lapis couldn't have slept on the couch forever, as they entered the temple, Pearl began to descend Steven room's ladder, after having given him a good night kiss, she couldn't be happier, even after all what has happened, her child was still there, and she couldn't be prouder of him. As she stepped towards the temple's door, she felt a presence behind her.

"Pearl?" Peridot asked as she shyly approached the white gem.

"Oh… Peridot, what is it?" Pearl asked as she turned around… needless to say, she wasn't prepared for what came next.

Peridot quickly closed the distance between them and hugged tightly the white gem. Pearl was more than surprised by Peridot, who never showed this kind of affection to anyone, if not to Steven but only in a few, rare occasions.

"P-Peridot?" Pearl asked as she slowly put her hands on her back, only for Peridot to jump a few feet away.

"Ah… ehm… i-it was just… I d-don't… I'm sorry I just wanted…" Peridot muttered frenetically until Pearl stopped her.

"Peridot, calm down… what did you want to tell me?" Pearl asked as Peridot sighed heavily.

"I… I just wanted to… apologize… for what I told you at the facility… I… was wrong… just because of the way a gem is made it doesn't mean that they won't be able to fight… or to be a good technician or simply to be whatever they want to be… and… thank you… for saving me…" Peridot said keeping her gaze low.

"I should thank you too… you did the same for me after all…" Pearl said as she slightly chuckled.

"Yeah… I… I just… it was the right thing to do and… goodness I'm not used to all of this…" Peridot said sighing.

"I may have noticed…" Pearl said sarcastically.

"Ehm… Pearl?" Peridot asked as the white gem began to turn around.

"Yes?" She answered as Peridot raised her gaze.

"D-do you think I could have my own room in the temple?" Peridot asked as Pearl slightly smiled.

"Of course…" She answered as they walked towards the temple's door.

"There's… only one more thing…" Peridot said as she crossed the entrance of the temple.

"What is it?" Pearl asked as she kept walking… that until Peridot spoke again.

"Do you know that black gem who attacked us at the facility?" Peridot asked as Pearl's eyes widened.

 **Hello guys! We are back with another chapter and this time we are going to go on publishing new chapters one day one not until the end since we don't have so much to do now that we're on vacation, merry Christmas to all of you! I hope you have liked this chapter and I wanted to apologize for the delay, I had a really stressfull period at school, but now I'm free so I and my coworker will keep working on this story until it's done, I hope you're not too angry because of the delay but the "hiatus" is over now! Expect another chapter very soon! Bye!**


	17. Chapter 17: Jet

**CHAPTER 17: JET**

"D-do you think I could have my own room in the temple?" Peridot asked as Pearl slightly smiled.

"Of course…" She answered as they walked towards the temple's door.

"There's… only one more thing…" Peridot said as she crossed the entrance of the temple.

"What is it?" Pearl asked as she kept walking… that until Peridot spoke again.

"Do you know that black gem who attacked us at the facility?" Peridot asked as Pearl's eyes widened.

 **The next morning:**

"Now that we have the shard thingy, what's next?" Amethyst asked as she leaned on the counter.

"We'll have to build a machine capable to take us near to the Cluster…" Peridot answered as she stepped forwards and backwards, trying to come up with an idea.

"Oh! We could build something like… uhm… a drill thing?" Steven said as he hopped up from the couch.  
"That… might actually work!" Pearl said as she ruffled Steven's hair.

"In order to build something like that… we'll need more than what we can buy at a simple store…" Garnet said as she crossed her arms.

"Well… my dad's barn has a lot of things in it! We could use what we find there to build it!" Steven said as he raised his fists in the air.

"Uhm… that could actually work… but I doubt we'll be able to find a drill head in the barn Steven…" Pearl said as Peirdot came nearer.

"We could always go to the Kindergarten and retrieve one from an injector…" Peridot said as all of the gems looked at each other.

"Alright… but I don't think you'll be able to take it on your own… Amethyst? Do you think you can help?" Garnet asked shifting her gaze to the purple gem.

"Yeah… why not…" Amethyst said as she began to walk towards the warp pad.

"Oh! I want to help too! Please Garnet, can I go?" Steven asked as he grasped the leader's leg.

"Mmmmh… alright… but if anything goes wrong… you'll have to come back here immediately…" Garnet said as Pearl came near to her.

"Garnet… are you sure it's a good idea to let Steven go with them? Yellow Diamond might be waiting for us to split apart…" Pearl said as she looked at Steven who was already on the warp pad alongside Amethyst and Peridot.

"Trust me, there are no chances that she'll attack them in the Kindergarten…" Garnet said as she kept her eyes fixed on them until they disappeared into the beam of light.

 **At the Kindergarten:**

"Now… let's just find one that isn't broken and let's leave this place…" Amethyst said as she began to look around for an injector.

"I think that one is still in good conditions…" Peridot said as she pointed at a machine in the distance.

As they began to walk towards the machine, Steven began to feel like someone was watching them. He turned around many times but there was no one there, still, he could say that there was someone else at the Kindergarten. His doubts became reality as he briefly noticed a shadow behind them.

"Guys!" Steven yelled as both Amethyst and Peridot quickly turned around, whip in hand and blaster ready to fire… but there was nothing behind them.

"Gosh… Steven you freaked me out!" Amehtyst grunted as she made her whip disappear.

"There was someone following us!" Steven said as he kept looking around.

"You got scared from your own shadow?" Amethyst said snickering.

"As you can see… there's nothing that is following us Steven… let's retrieve that drill head…" Peridot said turning around and walking towards the injector.

"Amehtyst… I need you to cut the-" Peridot was cut off by Amethyst summoning her whip and cutting the drill head with a single hit.

"Impressive…" Peridot whispered as she looked at the purple gem.

"Pretty cool, isn't it?" Amethyst said as she walked towards the drill head.

"Even if you are a defective quartz… you still have an impressive strength…" Peridot said nonchalantly.

"What?" Amethyst muttered as she turned around towards the green gem.

"I said that your strength is impressive since you are a defective quartz…" Peridot repeated.

"Defective?" Amethyst asked nervously.

"Well… yes… you should be taller… quartzes are usually born twice your size… and-" Peridot said before Amethyst cut her off.

"Are you saying that I'm wrong?!" Amethyst shouted angrily, even if all of the ones that loved her didn't care about how she was, it still hurt her when someone told her that the way she was, was wrong.

"N-no! W-well technically speaking… but I-" Peridot tried to speak as she slowly realized her mistake.

"You know… I don't care… let's just bring back the thing and-" Amethyst stopped talking as she turned around.

"What is it?" Peridot asked in confusion… but she understood why Amethyst became so silent… Steven was not behind them.

 **Somewhere in the Kindergarten:**

"Ouch… my head…" Steven grunted as he began to stand up from the ground, only to be pushed onto it again, a hand grasping his shirt.

As Steven raised his gaze he tried to remember what happened, he was following Amethyst and Peridot when, suddenly, he heard something behind him and everything went black, now, the gem who saved him at the facility was towering over him.

"Y-you… w-what have you d-done t-to Rose?!" The gem yelled angrily.

"Wha-what?" Steven said in disbelief.

"Y-you are w-with those gems w-who tried to attack me… I-I thought y-you took this form only t-to trick them and made them believe you weren't R-Rose… but you were w-with them… w-what have y-you done to her?! Why do you have h-her gem?!" The gem said as she raised her fist in the air.

"P-please don't hurt me! I didn't do anything to Rose! I was going to tell you who I am but then you ran away… I'm Steven… Steven Universe and Rose Quartz was my mom…" Steven said as the gem lowered her fist and assumed an astonished expression.

"W-what? B-but… you are… how…" The gem muttered in confusion.

"My mom fell in love with my dad who is human… but… to give me birth she had to give up her physical form…" Steven explained as the gem let him go and sat down in front of him.

"H-how?" She asked as Steven scratched the back of his head.

"Ehm… I'm not completely sure… but… hey! You know her! And you even wanted to protect her! Are you… a Crystal Gem?" Steven asked as the gem looked at the bright yellow star on her outfit.

"I… I am…" She answered as Steven got up.

"What's your name?" Steven asked as the gem raised her gaze.

"I… I don't know… I don't remember many things… just… fragments… I… ugh!" The gem exclaimed in pain as she clutched her chest.

"Are you alright?" Steven asked as he slowly moved her hand away… revealing a cracked gem.

"M-my gem… it is cracked…" She whispered as Steven's eyes widened.

"D-don't worry! I got this!" Steven said as he spat on his hands.

"W-what are you doing?" The gem asked, confused by the young boy's actions.

"You'll see!" Steven said as he placed his hand on her gem.

Suddenly, the gem began to glow and in a matter of seconds, the cracks on it disappeared, leaving the gem with a baffled expression on her face.

"You… healed me…" She said as she touched her gem.

"Of course! You are a Crystal Gem! We are on the same side!" Steven said happily as the gem slightly smiled, this creature may not be Rose, but surely it must have come from her.

"I'm… sorry if I hit you…" The gem said as she lowered her gaze.

"Don't worry about it, I've been hit a lot…" Steven said chuckling.

"Steven!" A voice called in the distance.

"Amethyst and Peridot must be worried sick about me…" Steven said as he could see the gem becoming uneasy.

"Don't worry, they won't hurt you, I'll protect you…" He said as he took her hand.

"Thank you… Steven…" The gem said as she stood up, she may be scared, she may not remember who she was, and Rose may not be there to help her, but there was someone as caring and compassionate as her there to help her.

"You're welcome… ehm… h-how should I call you?" Steven said as she looked at her gem for moment before raising her gaze.

"Jet…" The gem replied as Steven smiled warmly.


	18. Chapter 18: Not what, who

**CHAPTER 18: NOT WHAT, WHO**

"Thank you… Steven…" The gem said as she stood up, she may be scared, she may not remember who she was, and Rose may not be there to help her, but there was someone as caring and compassionate as her there to help her.

"You're welcome… ehm… h-how should I call you?" Steven said as she looked at her gem for moment before raising her gaze.

"Jet…" The gem replied as Steven smiled warmly.

"STEVEN!" Amethyst yelled as she summoned her whip.

"Let him g- oh… oh my…" Peridot said as she raised her blaster towards the gem, trembling.

"Guys wait!" Steven said as he put himself in front of Jet.

"Steven you don't understand… you don't know who you are protecting!" Peridot said as a small orb of energy began to appear in front of her blaster.

"Peridot please stop!" Steven said as the orb kept getting bigger.

"Haven't you seen her gem Steven?!" The green gem said pointing at the gem on Jet's chest.

Steven turned around and looked at the gem, noticing something strange, there weren't any kind of cracks but, her gem was of a single color, there were many shades of gray in it, as if it was composed of multiple pieces…

"She is one of the Homeworld's experiments!" Peridot said as she aimed at Jet's gem.

"Wh-what?" Steven whispered as he turned towards Jet… who seemed more puzzled than anyone else.

"What… am… I?" Jet muttered in disbelief as she lowered her defense just for a moment, and that was the moment when Peridot fired with her blaster.

"No!" Steven cried as he jumped towards the incoming orb, a bright pink light coming from under his shirt.

A cloud of dust raised in the air as the orb exploded. Both Amethyst and Peridot remained speechless as the dust settled revealing Steven, who had a bright pink shield on his arm. He managed to block the orb before it could hit Jet.

"S-Steven… I… I…" Peridot muttered as she began to step back, tears forming in her eyes, before she turned around and ran away.

"Peridot wait!" Steven cried stretching his arm towards the green gem, but she had already disappeared.

"Steven… are you alright?" Jet asked as she kneeled down to his level.

"Yes… I'm okay…" Steven answered as he turned towards Amethyst.

"Steven… is she really one of those monsters we fought here in the Kindergarten?" Amethyst asked as she lowered her whip.

"I… I don't… she can't be! She speaks and… she saved me from Yellow Diamond… she is a Crystal Gem just like us!" Steven said still standing in front of Jet.

"I may not understand who or what I am… but I fought alongside Rose… and even if she is not here anymore… Steven helped me and showed me the same love and compassion she showed me long ago… I'm going to do everything I can to protect him…" Jet declared as she stood up and watched Amethyst straight in the eyes.

"Well… I can't say it for the others… but you really helped us back there at the facility… you're okay I guess… I think we should take you to the temple… but… it's up to Garnet to decide what to do with you…" Amethyst said as she made her whip disappear.

"Don't worry Jet, it'll be ok!" Steven said as he offered again his hand to her.

"I… I trust you Steven:.." Jet answered as she took his hand and began to walk towards the warp pad.

"Okay… before we go I think I'll need some help with that drill head…" Amethyst said as Jet turned towards it.

 **Meanwhile, at the Beach House:**

"Pearl calm down…" Lapis said as she sat on the couch, watching the white gem walking forwards and backwards.

"Lapis is right Pearl, Steven is with Amethyst and Peridot, nothing bad will happen to him…" Garnet said as she leaned against the counter.

"They had been out there for hours! Why is it taking so long to just take a drill head?!" Pearl almost yelled as she kept walking.

"Pearl will you stop stepping back and forth? You're going consume the floor at this rate…" Lapis said chuckling slightly.

"This is not the time to joke Lapis!" Pearl yelled before something caught her eye, the beam of light coming from the warp pad.

"Oh thank-" Pearl remained speechless as she saw who appeared on the warp pad.

"Steven!" Lapis yelled as she jumped off the couch.

"Hehe… hello guys…" Steven said scratching the back of his head as he kept holding Jet's hand.

"Guys please I need you to listen to me… so please… don't try to attack Jet…" Steven said as all of the gems remained motionless for a moment.

"Alright… gems… let's hear what Steven has to say…" Garnet said as she made her gauntlets disappear.

"Jet isn't bad at all! Remember how she helped me back at the facility? She wanted to help me because she thought I was mom, she's a Crystal Gem just like us!" Steven said pointing at the yellow star on Jet's suit.

"B-but… this is impossible! All of the Crystal Gems were shattered during Rose's rebellion!" Pearl exclaimed, her spear still in her hands.

"Peridot told something about her being one of Homeworld's experiments…" Amethyst said as Garnet began to approach her, but as soon as she reached her, she stepped back covering her mouth.

"It… it can't be…" Garnet whispered.

"What is it Garnet?" Pearl asked approaching her.

"Her gem… it… it's like the ones of those monsters in the Kindergarten… it is an amalgamate of shards…" Garnet said as Jet stepped off the warp pad.

"W-what?" Jet asked as she approached Garnet, who go in a defensive stand.

"Garnet please… she doesn't want to hurt anyone…" Steven pleaded as he reached Jet's side.

For a long moment Garnet remained silent, what was in front of her, she couldn't tell what intentions they had, she couldn't focus, she was scared, how could possibly be true that one of those abominations could actually have a rational mind? But she had one, and most importantly she wanted to protect Steven, this was what counted at the moment.

"I… I'm sorry if we scared you… gems… put down your weapons…" Garnet said as Pearl sighed and made her spear disappear and Lapis's wings disappeared.

"D-do you know w-what I am?" Jet asked as Garnet came near to her.

"Who… who you are… not what…" Garnet said smiling slightly as Jet did the same.

Garnet began to tell Jet about what Homeworld did with the Crystal Gems who died during the rebellion, she told her how they used their shards in order to create artificial fusions to use as a weapon, and that they were only prototypes for their horrific, ultimate creation, the Cluster, an amalgamate of millions of gem shards. It was a lot to take in, Jet could finally understand why her thoughts were so confused, because her mind was composed of many others, but when Steven told her that she didn't have to be afraid because him and all of the gems were there to help her, she began to calm down. Garnet explained their plan to her, that they needed to build a machine to take them to the center of the Earth to destroy that abomination, but, most importantly, that if she wanted, they would have been more than happy to allow her into the team, even if, technically, she was already part of it. There was only one more question…

"Where's Peridot?" Garnet asked as she noticed that the green gem was not there with them.


	19. Chapter 19: Together forever

**CHAPTER 19: TOGETHER FOREVER**

"Where's Peridot?" Garnet asked as she noticed that the green gem was not there with them.

"She was with us back at the Kindergarten… but when she saw Jet she became scared and tried to shoot her… then she ran away…" Steven explained as he turned towards the warp pad, hoping to see the beam of light appear and with it his lost friend.

"Do you have any idea of where she could have gone?" Garnet asked as Amethyst turned away and began to walk towards the temple door.

"Don't know, don't care…" Amethyst said as she disappeared into her room.

"Did something happen between those two?" Pearl asked as she approached Steven.

"Ehm… well… I don't really know, I wasn't with them in that moment… but… I think we should go find her… it's not safe to be around alone… maybe she's still at the Kindergarten…" Steven said as he approached the warp pad.

"Alright gems… I'll go with Steven and we'll bring Peridot back, tomorrow we'll begin building the drill machine… Jet… I'd like you to come with us…" Garnet said, standing by Steven's side.

"O-oh… alright…" Jet muttered as she hesitantly reached the duo.

"B-but… Garnet… are you sure?" Pearl asked hesitantly.

"Don't worry Pearl… she made more than clear the fact that the only thing she wants to do is to protect Steven… he trusts her… and so do I…" Garnet said as they disappeared into the beam of light.

Pearl stared at the warp pad for some moments before stepping towards the couch and sitting on it as she sighed heavily. Too much was occurring in these last days, too many things that could cause them problems but most importantly that could hurt Steven, the return of Yellow Diamond, the Cluster and now this gem… she was too lost in her thoughts too notice someone sitting near to her.

"Boo!" Lapis yelled as she sat down next to Pearl.

"Gah!" Pearl screamed as she jumped up from the couch.

"I'm sorry… it just looked… so irresistible…" Lapis said as she tried to stifle her giggles, since she became friends with the white gem, she could tell that she was easily frustrated and seeing her like this wasn't something she liked, after some time spent with Amethyst, she thought that a little joke was the perfect thing to cheer her up, but that didn't work pretty well.

"Lapis! That was really immature from you! I think Amethyst's behavior is having bad effects on you…" Pearl said as she crossed her arms.

"Oh Pearl… I'm really sorry if I scared you… you… have been acting differently lately… I think you should try to relax…" Lapis said as Pearl frowned and turned around.

"How could you say that after all what happened in these last days... you should be ready for everything if you really care about any of us..." Pearl hissed without looking at her, the comment made Lapis suddenly stop giggling an become serious.

"Pearl… I'm serious… you should-" Lapis was cut off by the white gem, who turned around and pointed her finger at her.

"No! I shouldn't do anything of what you said! Have you noticed the situation we're in Lapis?! A giant fusion could destroy the Earth at any time, a Homeworld's leader is out there somewhere and she even got an ally and now one of those… those monsters come here claiming that she wants to protect Steven a-and we just let her go with him when we know perfectly that she's just some Homewolrd's sick creation?! Don't you even care?!" Pearl yelled angrily… but as soon as she pronounced the last words, Lapis stood up from the couch, fists tightened, after all what she had suffered, no one could cast doubts on the fact that she cared, no one, not even a friend.

"You're asking me if I care?! If you didn't notice I'm the one who kept Jasper at the bottom of the ocean to keep Steven safe! And… are you serious?! Just because she has been created by Homeworld you think she can't be trusted?! You were created to be a slav-" Lapis covered her own mouth before she could finish the sentence, but it was too late, Pearl had already tears in the corners of her eyes as she pushed Lapis aside and ran outside on the beach.

"Pearl wait!" Lapis called her as she chased after her.

 **Meanwhile, at the Kindergarten:**

"Peridot!" Steven called as he kept looking around, followed by Jet and Garnet.

"Jet?" Garnet called as she distanced herself a little from Steven.

"Y-yes Garnet?" Jet answered as she reached the leader's side, even if she made clear that she trusted her, and despite the fact that Jet was slightly taller than her, she couldn't help but being a little frightened by Garnet's authoritarian figure.

"I… I asked you to come with us… because I wanted to talk with you… I wanted to ask you things that I don't think you would have liked to talk about with everyone else being around… and don't get me wrong… if you don't want to talk about it… I won't force you to do it…" Garnet said as Jet tensed up a little.

"Is… is there something wrong?" Jet asked, wondering what Garnet wanted her say.

"No… it's… it's… just… I don't know if you noticed Jet… but I'm a fusion…" Garnet said as she turned towards Jet and took off her visor, showing the gem her three eyes.

"Oh… I didn't know…" Jet said, a little startled by the revelation.

"When we first discovered about Homeworld's experiments… I was terrified by them… but not because of their appearance… I… couldn't believe Homeworld could be so cruel… forcing gems to fuse… fusion should be a choice but the gems who were shattered during the rebellion… they didn't have a choice… Homeworld couldn't even let them rest in peace… it isn't fair… and… I'm sorry if they did this to you… is… is it painful? To be… like this?" Garnet said gesturing towards Jet… tears streaming down her cheeks, fusion was something really important for her, fusion was what she was and fusion, for her meant the power of love which allowed two gems to become one, single thing… but this wasn't the kind of fusion Jet was…

"It… it's not Garnet… please don't worry about me…" Jet replied sadly.

"Do you… remember anything of who you were before the rebellion?" Garnet asked.

"I… I remember only fragments… if I try to remember… I can… see someone fighting with a shiny, silver sword… then… someone with long, winged spear… I… I can't see clearly who they are but… when a blow comes towards one of them… the other is there to protect them… I remember someone… someone telling the two gems that… the bond between them was something abominable… something wrong… and then… Rose… telling them that it wasn't something wrong… but the most beautiful thing that could happen to two of our kind… that it would have given them the possibility to stay together forever… t-the last thing I remember is… those two gems… laying on the ground… hand in hand… as swords came down on them… it's all what I can remember… but… it doesn't matter who I was… the only thing that matters is the present… and in the present there is someone I have to protect… that's the only important thing for me…" Jet said as she wiped a small tear away.

"I'm glad you want to protect him Jet… thank you… and… even if you think it's not important… remember what those two gems felt for one another… I think… I think it's what allowed you to be as you are now and… I think it's what really gives you power…" Garnet said smiling as she put back her visor.

 **Hi guys! Sorry for the delay but we had some problems, now that it is all solved, we hope you are all doing fine and that you enjoyed this chapter, and obviously the story so far! We wanted to thank you for all the reviews, favs and follows and I wanted to remember you that if you have any question or request just write them in the reviews or in a message, another chapter will be updated very soon, just like I said! Bye!**


	20. Chapter 20: Trusting an enemy

**CHAPTER 20: TRUSTING AN ENEMY**

"I'm glad you want to protect him Jet… thank you… and… even if you think it's not important… remember what those two gems felt for one another… I think… I think it's what allowed you to be as you are now and… I think it's what really gives you power…" Garnet said smiling as she put back her visor.

"Guys… I think I saw her but… do you think I could go talk to her alone?" Steven asked as he turned towards Garnet and Jet.

"We'll wait here for you two Steven…" Garnet said as she leaned against the rocky wall.

"Thank you Garnet…" Steven said as he began to walk towards the hole leading to the Kindergarten's control room.

"Peridot?" Steven called as he reached the control room and saw the green gem curled up against the control pod.

"S-Steven?! W-what are you doing here?!" Peridot yelled in surprise as she saw the young boy approaching her.

"Well… you did run away from us… I came looking for you and-" Steven was interrupted by Peridot.

"Y-you wasted your time… I… I'm not worth your time…" Peridot whispered gritting her teeth, tears forming in her eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Steven said he kept walking towards her until she raised her tears stained face.

"P-Peridot…" Steven muttered in disbelief, he wasn't used to Peridot showing this kind of emotions.

"I… I could have hurt you… I… I was just afraid… e-everything on this rusty planet is so… s-so weird b-but if there's something that makes it worth to stay here and fight it's you… you helped me even if sometimes I still wonder why a-and… I c-could h-have… hurt y-you a-and then you would have abandoned m-" Peridot didn't manage to finish talking, before she could do it, Steven ran in front of her and hugged her tightly… she ran away because she was afraid of what Steven would have told her… she was afraid that he would have abandoned her…

"Peridot no! I would never do such a thing! You are part of my family! There are lots of things we could be afraid of but being abandoned by the people we love shouldn't be one of them! You just wanted to protect me and that's what's important…" Steven said as Peridot hugged him back.

"I... I don't understand how you can be so nice to me even after all this... you earthlings are really weird... caring about someone who could have possibly killed you..." Peridot said chuckling slightly.

"Well... that's what friends do right?" Steven said as Peridot could hear his own sniggering.

"T-thank you Steven…" Peridot said as she buried her face in his hair.

"I love you… always remember it…" Steven said as Peridot's eyes widened before she shut them, tears still streaming down from them.

"I… I love you too…" Peridot muttered as they held onto each other until Peridot's sobs stopped.

"Peridot… Jet isn't an enemy… she may be a cluster gem but she was a Crystal Gem… well ehm probably more than one but that's not important… she just wants to protect me… please don't try to hurt her…" Steven pleaded looking straight in the technician gem's eyes.

"I… okay… if she really isn't a threat… then… I won't try to hurt her… and… I suppose… I should apologize to her for ehm… trying to disintegrate her?" Peridot said, even if it sounded more like a question.

"That's right Peri!" Steven said smiling as he helped her up.

"Oh please… not that ridiculous abbreviation…" Peridot said as Steven snickered.

"Come on, I'll introduce you to her!" Steven said as they both walked out from the control room.

"Peridot…" Garnet said as she saw her and Steven approaching.

But as soon as Jet saw them, her eyes got wide as she stared for a moment at Peridot, she didn't notice the first time they met, but now she could see it clearly, that horrible… yellow diamond on her outfit… it was one of the few things she remembered… she remembered it being on the soldiers who shattered the gems of her memories… she didn't hesitate a single moment, as soon as the gem on her chest began to glow, she pulled out a long halberd and pointed it towards Peridot.

"You… you're one of them!" Jet cried angrily.

"Jet no! Stop!" Steven yelled as he got in front of Peridot.

"W-what? Steven? What are you doing?! Move away! I'll end that filthy excuse of a gem!" Jet said tightening her grip on her halberd.

"Please Jet you don't understand! She's not an enemy! Peridot saved my life and the ones of my friends too!" Steven said as Jet's eyes widened in shock.

"W-what?" Jet muttered in disbelief.

"She was a Homeworld's technician but when she came here and found me, I immediately understood that she was on their side just because she was scared… she never received any love or appreciation from Homeworld but I helped her… I cared for her and she understood that what she was doing was wrong, she turned against Yellow Diamond and saved us all… she's one of us now…" Steven said as he waited for a response.

"I… I can't trust her yet… but I trust you Steven…" Jet said, her halberd disappearing as Steven sighed in relief.

 **Meanwhile, on the Beach:**

"Pearl…" Lapis said as she approached the white gem, who was now sitting on the ground, face hidden between her knees, she could hear quiet sobs coming from her.

"Pearl… I'm… I'm so sorry… I didn't mean to say those things... you know I don't believe that... you are your own gem... it doesn't matter what Homeworld wanted you to be..." Lapis said as she kneeled down behind her.

"No… it's all my fault… y-you just wanted to help me… b-but I just couldn't see it… always blinded by my bad feelings… all what's happening during these last days… i-it's a lot to take in… I wish I was strong like you… or Amethyst or Garnet or Steven… but… I'm nothing like you… I'm… I'm such a wreck…" Pearl said as suddenly she felt a pair of arms around her, holding her tightly.

"Pearl! Don't ever speak of yourself in this way again! You're not a wreck! You are one of the most amazing gems I know, you're strong, kind and passionate, you learned how to fight so that you could be able to protect the ones you love and you do that every day with Steven… if he is the wonderful child he is today… it is also thanks to you…" Lapis said as Pearl's sobs got quieter.

"Do you really think I'm not afraid? I am… I don't know what will happen between us and Yellow Diamond and I don't know if we'll be able to destroy the cluster… but… I lived most of my life being scared… then I met Steven… he taught me what is like to be loved… to know that there will be always someone ready to help you and that no matter what will happen… together with the ones you care for you'll always be able to overcome any obstacle… Steven taught me that believing that is the way to live a full life and believing that is what allows me to go on without being scared… you just have to remember that we'll always be there to help you…" Lapis said, taken a little aback when Pearl suddenly turned around and embraced her.

"T-thank you Lapis…" Pearl muttered, a slight smile on her face.

"You're welcome Pearl…" Lapis said closing her eyes, as she hugged her back.

"I… I think we should get back now… they'll be back soon…" Pearl said as they both stood up, but as Pearl started to walk towards the house, she felt a hand on her wrist.

"What's the hurry Pearl? You know… I'm… still quite curious about discovering what our weapon looks like…" Lapis said extending her other hand towards Pearl, who slightly blushed as she took it.

"A-alright!" Pearl said as they both got closer to one another and began moving, a bright light coming from both their gems.


	21. Chapter 21: A second chance

**CHAPTER 21: A SECOND CHANCE**

"I… I can't trust her yet… but I trust you Steven…" Jet said, her halberd disappearing as Steven sighed in relief.

"Thank you… and don't worry! Peridot is very cool! Here… ehm Peridot? Could you… put away your blaster?" Steven asked as he noticed that Peridot had her blaster ready to shoot, her hand slightly shaking and her eyes wide.

"Oh… Oh! R-right… I'm… I'm sorry…" Peridot muttered as she lowered her weapon and stayed behind Steven as he walked towards Garnet and Jet.

"So… Peridot… this is Jet… she's really cool and strong… and you don't have to be afraid… she just wants to protect me… and Jet… this is Peridot… she's really, really smart and really cool too… she was a Homeworld technician but when we got closer I could clearly see that she wasn't bad at all… she was just scared and then we became friends. She's one of us and she also want to protect me!" Steven said happily as Jet crossed her arms and scoffed slightly.

"Don't think you can fool me technician… I know the ones like you… you think you're above all other gems because of your intelligence… but you are the weakest kind of gem… and I'm not talking simply about your physical form… if something threatens you… you won't hesitate to reveal how coward you all are… if it meant to live… you would turn your back to any of your allies... you may be able to fool Steven… he proved to be even too much comprehensible with you… but you won't fool me… a pathetic gem like you would never fight against a stronger enemy just to protect someone else… especially if that enemy is Homeworld… I've seen it before… you only care about yourself… you are a disgusting-" Jet was cut off by Peridot, who surprisingly walked in front of her and poked her on the chest with one of her digits, which made Jet's eyes widen.

"Shut up! You don't know anything about me! About what I did! I sacrificed everything I had to save Steven! I would have died for him! What I did in the past it doesn't matter! The only thing that matters is the present and right now… I… am… here to protect him! And I won't take insults by the likes of you! Who do you think you are?! You're just an experiment! You're nothing more than a prototype for a Homeworld's weapon! I bet it would take just a snap of fingers from Yellow Diamond to make you turn against Steven!" Peridot cried angrily as Jet grabbed her digits.

"Why you little-" Jet said raising her fist, although she was pretty surprised, this Peridot, this Peridot was different from the others she had met, she was… strong… brave… talking like that to a warrior… and it couldn't be stupidity… since… well… we're talking about a Peridot… so it must have been really courage… which she respected…

"Guys please! Stop! You're nothing like those things you said!" Steven said separating… well trying to separate the two…

"Take back what you said technician! It doesn't matter how many fancy tools you have in your arms! I'll reap them off you and I'll crush you anyway!" Jet cried as Steven stood in front of her, arms around her legs trying to hold her, while Garnet did the same with a now fuming Peridot.

"I'll show you how much of a coward I am!" Peridot screamed until Garnet spoke… and when her turn to yell came… no one dared to breath.

"ALRIGHT THIS IS ENOUGH YOU TWO! I SWEAR YOU'RE WORSE THAN AMETHYST AND PEARL AND I'M NOT EXAGERATING! NOW YOU TWO WILL STAY QUIET UNTILL WE'LL GET HOME AND THEN YOU WILL SOLVE THIS CALMLY! DID I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!" Garnet yelled pointing towards the two gems who fell silent, Jet had her eyes fixed on the ground while Peridot was trembling, hidden behind Steven and no one dared to speak until they reached home.

"Garnet? Are you… ok?" Steven asked as Garnet sighed heavily.

"Yes Steven… don't worry… just… keep an eye on those two… I don't want to have to yell at them another time…" Garnet said as she kneeled down and kissed Steven's forehead.

"Goodnight Steven…" She whispered as Steven giggled.

"Ooook guys… just… make yourself comfortable for the night… I guess… yawn… it's time for me to go to bed…" Steven said as he reached his bedroom and tugged himself under the covers.

"Good night Peridot… good night Jet…" Steven murmured as he fell into a deep sleep, exhausted by the rough day.

Neither of the two gems said anything to each other for what it seemed to be hours, Jet remained seated on the couch inspecting Peridot, who leaned against the counter with her arms crossed, trying to avoid the cluster gem's eyes. After some minutes… Jet stood up and headed for Steven's bedroom, which alarmed Peridot, who, needless to say, didn't trust the gem. As soon as Jet reached the stairs for his bedroom, Peridot began to follow, but she became less tense as she saw Jet slowly sitting down on Steven bed's edge, looking at him with a look of confusion on her face.

"Steven?" Jet called as Peridot quickly reached her and moved her finger in front of her mouth.

"Shhhh! You clod you're going to wake him up!" Peridot whispered as Jet gave the green gem a look of confusion.

"What?" Jet asked lowering her voice.

"Steven is an hybrid between a gem and a human… part of his body can't be sustained by his gem like us… he needs to feed himself and to sleep…" Peridot explained.

"It's… strange… leaving yourself this exposed… it's dangerous…" Jet said as Peridot's expression softened.

"Yes… yes it is… but… watching him when he's like this… so peaceful… he makes me… forget about the things which scare me… and… I think he's so calm because… he knows that he's surrounded by people who loves him… I didn't understand how much of a waste my life was until I met him… it was just following orders fearing what they could have done to me… can you belive that I actually felt pride when my superiors didn't punish me because I managed to accomplish one of their tasks… even if I had never received a single compliment from them… I was just grateful to them for being alive… but now is different… I won't ever go back… Steven gave me a chance for a new life and I won't let it go to waste…" Peridot said cracking a slight, sad smile, as Jet looked at her in surprise, she never saw such

"I… I didn't know a Homeworld's gem could understand this kind of things… especially a Peridot… but… I was wrong… I'm… sorry if I tried to hurt you earlier… I just wanted to protect him…" Jet said extending a hand towards the green gem, who looked at her in disbelief, before composing herself.

"I guess… I should apologize too for the way I talked to you… it was unnecessary to insult you… I… I just didn't want to stand in front of a gem and take her insults staying silent anymore… I'm done with that life…" Peridot said taking Jet's hand.

"I guess Rose was right… everyone deserve a second chance…" Jet whispered as she looked at Steven, who, unbeknownst to Jet and Peridot, was awake and heard everything…

"Everyone deserve a second chance…" Steven thought as he slowly drifted to sleep again.

 **Hello guys we hope you have enjoyed this new chapter, I published this chapter earlier because in these days we'll work on chapter number twentytwo and it will be a really speacial chapter, it'll be twice if not three times longer than the others chapters and something I think you'll like really much will happen, so don't worry if for some days you won't see any chapters published. Untill next time guys! Bye!**


	22. Chapter 22: The warrior and the child

**CHAPTER 22: THE WARRIOR AND THE CHILD**

"I… I didn't know a Homeworld's gem could understand this kind of things… especially a Peridot… but… I was wrong… I'm… sorry if I tried to hurt you earlier… I just wanted to protect him…" Jet said extending a hand towards the green gem, who looked at her in disbelief, before composing herself.

"I guess… I should apologize too for the way I talked to you… it was unnecessary to insult you… I… I just didn't want to stand in front of a gem and take her insults staying silent anymore… I'm done with that life…" Peridot said taking Jet's hand.

"I guess Rose was right… everyone deserve a second chance…" Jet whispered as she looked at Steven, who, unbeknownst to Jet and Peridot, was awake and heard everything…

"Everyone deserve a second chance…" Steven thought as he slowly raised his head, noticing Peridot and Jet starting to walk away.

"I think we should head out… we could wake him up…" Peridot whispered as Jet looked at him one last time before nodding and descending the bedroom's ladder.

"Let's go outside… I… didn't get the chance to see the sea in a very long time…" Jet whispered smiling sadly as she listened to the quiet sound of the waves coming from outside, while the two of them opened quietly the door and began to head towards the beach.

"We should ask Garnet for a room in the temple… gah! I hate this strange friable soil!" Peridot groaned as she reached the beach alongside Jet, trying to shake the sand off her boots.

"You know… for a gem coming from Homeworld… you're pretty funny…" Jet said as she snickered slightly, sitting on the dry sand, patting a spot beside her.

"Uhm… thanks?" Peridot answered, unsure of what to say.

For some minutes they just remained silent, Jet staring at the sea, waves of water gently touching the sand in front of them, and at the sky, countless bright stars adorning it. After what felt like hours, Peridot turned towards Jet, it wasn't still very clear to the green gem what Steven or the other gems saw in this planet…

"Alright… I think this is enough… can you explain to me what are you doing?" Peridot asked, determined to discover once for all the mystery of this planet's charm.

"I'm admiring the sea… the sky… everything this planet has to offer…" Jet replied calmly as she kept her gaze on the waves.

"Why? What is the purpose of your action?!" Peridot asked raising her hands in exasperation as Jet smiled slightly.

"You can't see it, isn't it? That's fine… after all you're a Homeworld gem… but I can say that with time you'll understand the beauty of this planet too…" Jet said as she turned towards Peridot.

"You haven't answered my question…" Peridot said lowering her head.

"Well… you see… there isn't a real purpose in what I'm doing…" Jet said as Peridot assumed a perplexed expression.

"Then why are you doing it?" Peridot asked, confused more than before.

"Because I enjoy it Peridot… I lost almost everything in order to protect this planet… but it was worth it… I look at the sea… at the sky… you may see them as something simple… irrelevant… but the truth is that I've never seen something as beautiful as them on Homeworld… and it isn't simply because of that that I enjoy staying here… looking at this world… hearing its sounds… feeling its wind on my skin… it reminds me why I have fought for the Earth… maybe to your eyes it looks a simple hunk of rock… but what made you stay… love… compassion… they are all things born here on Earth… and if the Earth will die… they'll die with it… those feelings are what make the Earth really great and worth protecting… in your case… it should be obvious why you should protect the Earth…" Jet said as Peridot's eyes widened.

"Steven…" Peridot whispered as a small smile appeared on her face.

"That's right…" Jet replied as they both turned towards the sea.

"You know… I think I'm beginning to understand now…" Peridot whispered.

Suddenly, Peridot and Jet heard a sound coming from the sky. They both raised to their feet, Jet moving in front of Peridot and summoning her halberd. They were both expecting something awful appearing in front of them… instead… a wonderful figure made its appearance on the beach dressed in a long, light blue dress with two ribbons, one around the pelvis and one around the neck, a light blue, oval gem on her forehead… landing gently on the ground… her water wings disappearing in the light blue, tear shaped gem on her back.

"Oh… greetings… I haven't noticed the two of you…" Angelite said smiling at the two puzzled gems.

"You are really wonderful together…" Jet said as the fusion blushed slightly.

"Thank you Jet…" Angelite replied snickering quietly.

"Ok… I can afford the cl- ehm Jet… looking at this moving water with no apparent motives but… why are you two fused? Is there anything we should be worried about?" Peridot asked as she began to look around… trying to spot any possible danger.

"There are no dangers Peridot…" Angelite said as Peridot quickly turned towards her with a baffled expression.

"Then… why are you two fused?!" Peridot almost yelled waving her arms.

"Well… we both like to dance… we're very similar and well… Pearl really enjoys flying…" Angelite replied nonchalantly.

"That's it?!" Peridot cried.

"Basically…" Angelite said giggling.

"Okay… now I'm even more confused than before… this entire planet is backwards…" Peridot said grunting as both Jet and Angelite laughed at the green gem's exaggerate reaction.

"You know… if you really want to understand fusion… I could help you…" Garnet said walking towards the group, as all of the gems turned towards her.

"G-Garnet…" Angelite muttered as the fusion turned towards her.

"Pearl, Lapis… you make a really great fusion… I'm proud of both of you…" Garnet said smiling.

"Thank you…" Angelite said as Garnet approached Peridot.

"Yeah, surely you're not as incredible as Opal… but still… you're pretty great I guess…" Amethyst said snickering as she approached the fusion, who only grunted in response.

"What do you mean by 'helping me'?" The green gem asked, becoming suspicious of Garnet's intents.

"Let's fuse…" Garnet answered giving Peridot a reassuring smile.

"Oh my stars!" Peridot said nearly stumbling and falling on her back.

"If it is too much I understand… I'll just-" Garnet tried to speak but was cut off by her.

"No! No… I… I can do it... I want… I want to… understand…" Peridot said as Garnet slowly approached her and took her hands in hers.

"Oh my… you're really going to do it G?" Amethyst said both surprised and curious.

"I want you to know that I'm proud of you Peridot, I know that, for a gem that has seen fusion between two different types of gems as an abomination for the longest part of her life, this must be very frightening… but don't worry… I bet that after this you'll understand that Homeworld's rules about fusion were nonsense… alright then… get ready…" Garnet said, Peridot gulping as the fusion began to spun her around, Jet and Angelite closely watching.

After some moments a bright light began to emerge from both Garnet and Peridot's gems. Garnet knew what would have happened very well, but Peridot… she hasn't been so scared, excited and confused in all her life… for the longest part of her life, her superiors have always taught her that fusion had to be performed only between the same types of gems and only because of the benefits of the two gem's abilities combined and that, if fusion was performed in any other case, it should have been considered an abomination against the great Diamond Authority… but… what she felt wasn't pain… she wasn't feeling as an abomination… Peridot's robotic limbs fell on the ground as a bright light engulfed the duo… from it, a large figure began to stretch upwards, slightly taller than Opal, two pairs of arms and five eyes with dark green irises. It didn't last long, in fact, before the physical form could become complete, it split apart, but just for a moment, the fusion opened its eyes, tears streaming down from the ones on the far right and left. After a loud pop Peridot landed on the ground on her back as Garnet landed on her feet.

"Peridot… I'm sorry if-" Garnet was cut short by Peridot who ran towards her and embraced her legs, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"T-thank you G-Garnet! I've… I've never felt anything like that! I-if you feel that all the time… I c-can understand why you're always fused!" Peridot said, both laughing and crying

"I'm glad you enjoyed it…" Garnet said smiling at the small, whimpering gem.

"Yeah Peri… you were great! Now you're really a Crystal Gem!" Amethyst said as Peridot stopped sobbing and looked towards all the other gems, she remained silent for a moment and then, as she smiled widely, a little yellow star appeared on her chest.

 **Meanwhile:**

Steven knew that what he was going to do would have been dangerous… after he heard Jet and Peridot talking, he began to think about their last stating… "everyone deserves a second chance", that's why as soon as they got outside… Steven went to the temple's door and entered his mother's room… and from there, he managed to reach Garnet's one… where all the corrupted gems were contained in bubbles, but there was one that wasn't a corrupted one… and Steven was right in front of the bubble that held her prisoner…

"Ok… ok now-" Steven rambling was interrupted by a low growl coming from behind him.

Lion had followed him, and now was standing behind him, giving him what looked like a serious expression… it was like if he was saying that he wasn't going to stop him… but that Steven had to be sure of what he was doing… because once she was freed… no one could know what could have happened.

"Don't worry Lion… I know what I'm doing…" Steven said as he grabbed the bubble containing a very familiar orange gem, as it popped, he grabbed the two pieces and gave it a small lick before sticking them together.

Steven waited, knowing that what he had done could have brought really bad consequences on him, but he didn't care, he knew that somewhere in her, there had to be some light, he wanted to help and he wasn't going to abandon her in a bubble for eternity, he has seen the effect on that on Lapis, held prisoner in a mirror for who knows how long, he wasn't going to do the same with her. After some moments, the gem began to hover in the air as a large, menacing silhouette formed around it… Jasper was back.

Steven waited, knowing that what he had done could have brought really bad consequences on him, but he didn't care, he knew that somewhere in her, there had to be some light, he wanted to help and he wasn't going to abandon her in a bubble for eternity, he has seen the effect on that on Lapis, held prisoner in a mirror for who knows how long, he wasn't going to do the same with her. After some moments, the gem began to hover in the air as a large, menacing silhouette formed around it… Jasper was back.

"Finally…" Jasper muttered as she opened her eyes… needless to say, she wasn't expecting her greatest enemy standing in front of her.

"Uhm… hi!" Steven greeted her as he nervously scratched the back of his head.

"You… why are you are?! Did you come here to mock me?!" Jasper growled as she stepped forwards.

"No… I freed you…" Steven answered as Jasper stopped walking, a devilish grin appearing on her face.

"Then you must be a real idiot… why would you do such a thing?" Jasper asked as Steven stepped forward too.

"Because I wanted to give you a chance…" Steven answered as Jasper howled with laughter.

"You really are just like your mother… you were both fools… why would I ever want a chance to stay here? Your mother tried this on many gems… she even managed to change some of them… not me… words will never change me… I'm a Homeworld's warrior… I was made to destroy the enemy… and my enemy is you… you proved to be like your mother in words… but I doubt you'll be as strong as her…" Jasper said as she summoned her helmet.

"You don't have to do this Jasper!" Steven pleaded as Lion began to growl.

"You're right… I want to do this…" Jasper replied as she dashed towards Steven.

Steven managed to get out of Jasper's way before she could hit him, so, instead of him, she went towards Lion, who used his sonic roar and made her fly towards the room's wall, almost crushing it at the impact.

"You are a coward! Making you allies fight for you!" Jasper yelled at Steven as she stood up from the ground, stumbling slightly, still dazed from Lion's attack.

"Lion stop hurting her!" Steven cried as he got between the two of them.

"Are you crazy?! I'm your enemy! You are not supposed to protect me!" Jasper cried as she threw a punch at him.

"You're wrong!" Steven yelled back as he suddenly summoned his shield and blocked her attack, surprisingly both of them stumbling backwards because of the impact.

"You… are… a… fool!" Jasper cried angrily as she rushed towards him, head down, ready to struck him with her battling helmet.

Steven raised his shield in front of him and even if he managed to block Jasper's attack, he flew backwards, thankfully landing on Lion's back, who began to rush towards the wall, roaring and forming a portal in front of them.

"Hey! Come back here and fight!" Jasper yelled as she rushed towards the escaping duo.

"Lion! Where are you going?! We have to stay here!" Steven said as he gripped tightly Lion's mane.

"You're mine!" Jasper cried as she jumped towards Lion and managed to grasp his leg before he and Steven could disappear in the portal, which they did all three together.

As Lion jumped out of the portal, they all landed on the ground. Steven jumped off Lion and looked at his surroundings… Lion brought them in Rose's room. Immediately, he turned towards his pink guardian and kneeled down, making sure he wasn't injured.

"Lion is everything ok?" Steven asked, as Lion just gave a low growl and stood up.

"Hehe… why changing place? I'm going to kill you anyway!" Jasper said standing up from the ground.

"I don't think so…" Steven said looking around once more, and then at Lion, as he understood why his furry fried brought him there, a large smile appearing on her face, which enraged Jasper even more.

"Why are you smiling?!" Jasper cried angrily, she knew she was stronger than this little pebble, so why couldn't she just kill him? He was so weak, but, still, she hasn't even touched him yet.

"Room! I need all what you can provide to slow down Jasper!" Steven yelled as he began to run away from the enraged Homeworld fighter.

"What?! Is this your tactic?! Running away?! Are you truly Rose's son? She may have been a fool, but she would have never ran away from a battle!" Jasper yelled as Steven turned around only for a brief time, just the time he needed to blew her a raspberry.

"Try to catch me!" Steven said as Jasper's eyes widened.

"Why you little b-" Jasper was cut short by a punch to her jaw, which made her fell to the ground, the fusion between the ruby and the sapphire towering over her.

"You! How did you get in here!" She yelled as from the ground she kicked her right in the stomach, but instead of falling on the ground, the fusion just dissipated into pink clouds.

"Gosh I hope this work!" Steven said out loud as he kept running.

"What?!" Jasper yelled as, standing up from the ground, she saw countless clones of Amethyst, Pearl and Garnet, accompanied by many clones of almost every person Steven knew, after all, he hasn't been so specific to the room.

"Out of my way!" Jasper yelled as she punched through the crowd.

"Jasper stop! We don't need to fight! Deep down you know what you are doing is wrong!" Steven yelled as he stopped and turned towards the orange gem.

"Ha! Wrong?! I'm serving my masters! I was made to do that!" Jasper yelled back.

"But is this what you truly want?" Steven said as Jasper hesitated for a moment, just the time a clone of Amethyst needed to wrap her up in her whip.

"This IS what I want!" Jasper cried furiously as she ripped the whip apart before being assaulted by countless other opponents.

"No! That's not true! That's the same thing Peridot said! But the truth is that she acted that way only because the only thing she knew for all her life was fear! But you wouldn't need to be scared here!" Steven said as Jasper began to become nearer and nearer to him, still, even if her attackers were easily defeated, they were still hitting her, and hit after hit, she was losing her strength. No matter how many she crushed, one in ten always managed to hit her.

"T-that little worm! I bet she stayed on your side! Well… t-that's just wonderful! I'll have another gem to crush as soon as I will have crushed you!" Jasper cried as she was hit again and fell on the ground.

"Why are you doing this Jasper? Because Yellow Diamond will be pleased? She doesn't care about you or other gems, she sees you just as a war machine that could be replaced with no problems!" Steven said as Jasper stood up but stumbled and fell again.

"S-shut up! S-she values me very much! I'm o-one of her strongest soldiers! I-I… I'll make her proud!" Jasper muttered as she crushed other clouds clones, until the last one fell and disappeared, leaving only a few meters between the warrior and the child.

"Tell me something Jasper… when she speaks to you or to other gems… does she refer to you as 'a jasper'? Or does she call you by your name? Are you even more than a number to her?" Steven said, but his tone wasn't mocking, it was sad, compassionate, he didn't even move as Jasper crawled towards him, nearly beaten and without strength because of the cloud clones.

"S-shut up… y-you don't know anything a-about me…" Jasper almost whispered as she reached the boy.

"You don't need to do this Jasper…" Steven said as he kneeled down and, much to Jasper's surprise, put his little hand on hers.

"W-what a-are you…" Jasper said raising her hateful eyes, meeting Steven's compassionate ones.

"You'll never admit it Jasper… you're a brave warrior and saying something like that means to be weak for you… I really admire you… you're the strongest gem I ever met, even if you use your strength for a purpose that is different from mine… but you're scared… scared that you could fail Yellow Diamond and that she could crush you because deep down you know that she doesn't care… and so you try to hide that with that attitude of yours… being mean and scary… but you don't need to do that here… I care about you…" Steven said smiling at the now puzzled gem, she stared for a moment in those merciful eyes, this, this creature… cared about her? No, Yellow Diamond did it too, did she? She hesitated for a moment, but then she gritted her teeth and hate came back in her eyes.

"Y-you… aaaargh! Shut up!" Jasper cried hatefully.

The warrior raised her fist… and crushed the little boy under it.

 **Hi guys! We hope you liked this chapter and the story so far, I bet you didn't expect something like this coming? Am I right? However, I'm really sorry for the delay but, school started again and it is a little bit stressful, after all this will be my last period in high school and the final exams are becoming nearer and nearer, however, we hope it was worth the wait, see you in the next chapter!**


	23. Chapter 23: The tamed warrior

**CHAPTER 23: THE TAMED WORRIOR**

"You'll never admit it Jasper… you're a brave warrior and saying something like that means to be weak for you… I really admire you… you're the strongest gem I ever met, even if you use your strength for a purpose that is different from mine… but you're scared… scared that you could fail Yellow Diamond and that she could crush you because deep down you know that she doesn't care… and so you try to hide that with that attitude of yours… being mean and scary… but you don't need to do that here… I care about you…" Steven said smiling at the now puzzled gem, she stared for a moment in those merciful eyes, this, this creature… cared about her? No, Yellow Diamond did it too, did she? She hesitated for a moment, but then she gritted her teeth and hate came back in her eyes.

"Y-you… aaaargh! Shut up!" Jasper cried hatefully.

The warrior raised her fist… and crushed the little boy under it… but her eyes became wide as the young boy vanished in a pink cloud as she crushed him under her fist.

"W-what?" Jasper managed to say before she heard a noise coming from her side, she turned her head towards it but the blow was too quick to dodge in her conditions, Steven managed to approach her without being noticed while Jasper was occupied with his clone and as he reached her, he summoned his shield and backslapped the warrior with it, making her fall to the ground, exhausted.

"Looks like it worked…" Steven said as Lion began to approach the two.

"Ha… y-you really are her son… t-that was a clever t-tactic…" Jasper muttered, laying on her back as she saw Steven right next to her head, shield and sword in hands, her eyes became wide for a moment, but then she smirked and closed them, of course, what was she thinking, after all this it would have been really stupid to spare her, she lost and she recognized it without regret, even if this creature was half human, he was much more clever than many opponents she had met, there was no shame in being shattered by him.

"G-go on… I… I recognize my defeat… just end me h-here… it'll be better for the both of us…" Jasper said as Steven towered over her.

"Jasper…" Steven tried to speak but was cut off by the giant warrior.

"No… d-don't hesitate… I prefer this to what the Diamonds would do to me after discovering I failed my mission… I… s-saw it too m-many times happening to my c-comrades… j-just make it quick…" Jasper almost whispered as she saw Steven raising his sword upon her gem… she was ready, she never thought this moment would come, but here she was, defeated at the feet of her enemy… but the blow she was expecting never came… instead she heard the noise of something hitting the ground… she looked up and saw that Steven dropped his sword on the ground and made his shield disappear.

"W-what are you d-" Jasper tried to say before being interrupted by the young boy, who quickly kneeled down and hugged the massive gem's head.

"I-if this is y-your attack then-" She tried to speak, but was cut off another time.

"This isn't an attack… it's a hug…" Steven said as he kept hugging her.

"W-what's that?" Jasper asked, confused by Steven's actions.

"It's something you do to comfort someone who's sad…" Steven explained as Jasper released a low growl.

"I'm… not s-sad…" Jasper said trying to move Steven away… but he just wouldn't let go.

"Jasper… stop please… I know you suffered… much more than many others… you had to obey the Diamonds and bear all the bad things they did, the only way to live a life like that was to force yourself to enjoy the things they made you do… but now they won't hurt you anymore… I promise…" Steven said closing his eyes… he didn't care about what Jasper did in the past, he wanted to help her, no matter what the others would have thought.

Jasper's eyes widened in disbelief, this… Steven, she couldn't believe such a young creature could have such a great wisdom, even if she tried her hardest, she couldn't hide her true self. He didn't care about what his other comrades would have done to him after discovering he spared her, he didn't care about what she had done to him and to the ones he cared about, he just wanted to help her, to protect her, something like this, really didn't exist on Homeworld and maybe, just maybe, she was starting to understand why Rose Quartz rebelled against her own race for this planet… it scared her to have this thought but… she wanted to understand this creature, she wanted Steven to show her what this planet could offer, she wanted to live without fear, she wanted a life made of something more than endless fights… she… she wanted to change. After some moments, she closed her eyes, gritted her teeth and cried, as hard as she could, she couldn't believe something like what Steven showed her really existed, she couldn't believe she had the chance to live it.

"Do you feel better?" Steven asked displaying a little smile.

"Yeah… a little bit… so, what are you planning to do?" Jasper asked as she sat on the ground.

"I'm going to talk to the others… they'll understand, don't worry, and then we'll all work together and stop the Cluster!" Steven said as Jasper gave him a confused look.

"You discovered about the cluster?" Jasper asked as Steven nodded.

"Yes, Peridot talked about it, now we're building a machine to stop it!" Steven explained as Jasper lowered her gaze.

"So she couldn't stay loyal either…" Jasper whispered, but she raised her gaze almost immediately when she felt a hand touching her own.

"Well… I saw how Yellow Diamond treated her… how she treats her allies… do you really thing that she's worth being loyal to?" Steven said as Jasper looked away, as if she knew the answer was no but she wasn't still ready to say it.

"The others… they're not going to let me go…" Jasper said as she began to stand up.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you!" Steven said puffing his chest proudly, as Jasper snickered slightly.

"Alright little warrior, lead the way…" Jasper said, still unsure about what would have happened.

 **Meanwhile:**

"Peridot… I'm sorry if-" Garnet was cut short by Peridot who ran towards her and embraced her legs, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"T-thank you G-Garnet! I've… I've never felt anything like that! I-if you feel that all the time… I c-can understand why you're always fused!" Peridot said, both laughing and crying

"I'm glad you enjoyed it…" Garnet said smiling at the small, whimpering gem.

"Yeah Peri… you were great! Now you're really a Crystal Gem!" Amethyst said as Peridot stopped sobbing and looked towards all the other gems, she remained silent for a moment and then, as she smiled widely, a little yellow star appeared on her chest, she looked at Garnet with an unsecure look, as if she wanted a permission from the leader.

"You could have worn that a long time ago, I'm glad you're one of us Peridot, I know it must have taken a lot of courage to do this…" Garnet said kneeling down and placing her hand on the little green gem's shoulder.

"Well… I can't say I'm not scared but… I'm glad I did this! Homeworld may seem great and the Diamonds may seem unbeatable, but sometimes there are things that are worth defying them for, and those are you and Steven…" Peridot said, a small deep green blush appearing on her face.

"Aw Peri… you're so sweet!" Amethyst said snickering.

"Take that back! I'm not sweet, I'm… I'm a terrifying renegade gem!" Peridot yelled at the purple gem poking her own chest.

"Yeah sure…" Jet whispered as Angelite chuckled softly.

Everyone began to laugh, even Peridot joined the others after some moments, that was until Garnet stopped snickering and lowered her head for a second.

 **Hello guys! We are back after only God knows how much time and for this I really want to apologize, school have been a little tough during this last period however we managed to write some chapters and now we're back! I hope you have enjoyed this chapter and thank you all for all the reviews, favs and follows, see you soon!**


	24. Chapter 24: Giving her a chance

**CHAPTER 24: GIVING HER A CHANCE**

"Garnet? Is everything alright?" Jet asked as she touched her shoulder.

"Steven… he isn't in his room… he disappeared…" Garnet stated as everyone else stopped chuckling.

"What?!" Angelite almost cried as she began to look around.

"W-we have to find him! He can't be very far!" Peridot said as Angelite flew up in the sky, trying to spot the young child from above.

"Garnet… you don't think it's Yellow Diamond isn't it? S-she can't have passed through without being noticed…" Peridot muttered as the fusion gem looked at the beach house.

"I don't know Peridot… but we have to act quick before-" Garnet tried to say before being interrupted by a voice calling her.

"Guys!" Steven called as he descended the ladder, a large figure following him.

Needless to say, Garnet, Amethyst, Peridot and Jet remained frozen as they tried to understand if what they were looking at was real. In front of them, stood Steven, and beside him, the warrior who tried to destroy them, the one who separated Ruby from Sapphire, the monster who still hunted Peridot's memories and the sad reminder of what Amethyst should have become. Only Jet seemed to be more surprised than angry, in front of her stood a gem she has never seen before, but as they approached, she suddenly noticed something, something that made her understand why all of her comrades has summoned their weapons, on the foreign gem's chest, there was the symbol of Yellow Diamond.

"That… gem…" Jet murmured as Steven and Jasper stopped approaching.

"She came here alongside Peridot, but they are not the same, while Peridot had and still have good inside her, there's nothing but a blind faith in the Diamonds and an exaggerate amount of rage in her, she wanted to fuse with Lapis and destroy us all… I don't know how she got out… but we can't let her hurt Steven…" Garnet said gritting her teeth.

"You bet we won't! She doesn't have one of those shock thingy with her, she's outnumbered…" Amethyst said, her whip ready to slash.

"T-this can't be r-really happening! S-she was broken!" Peridot muttered holding her blaster right in front of her, pointed at the giant Homeworld warrior.

"It doesn't matter… she doesn't stand a chance against us!" Jet said angrily as she summoned her halberd.

"Guys wait!" Steven said putting himself in front of Jasper.

"Steven! What are you doing! Get away from her!" Garnet yelled as Jasper instinctively summoned her helmet, this however, only worsened the situation, until something that made all of them remain speechless happened, Steven turned around and talked to the massive gem.

"Jasper please, could you put away your helmet? It's… really making everyone really nervous…" Steven said scratching the back of his head, Jasper hesitated for some moments, after all, these gems were still her enemies and she was sure they would have tried to attack her, but she was also sure Steven wouldn't permit them to hurt her.

"Fine…" Jasper said sighing as she made her weapon disappear, which made Garnet, Peridot, Amethyst and Jet giving each other a confused look.

"Steven… how did Jasper escape her bubble?" Garnet asked, her gauntlets still summoned, even if she slightly lowered them.

"Ehm… well… you know how it is, I was just walking around in your room and, hehe, funny story, I… let her out…" Steven said trying to avoid the puzzled gazes of her comrades.

"WHAT?! ARE YOU INSANE?" Peridot yelled angrily.

"No I just-" Steven tried to talk but was cut off.

"YOU COULD HAVE DIED! THAT CLOD IS CAPABLE ONLY OF DESTROYING THINGS! WHAT DO YOU EXPECTED TO HAPPEN?!" Peridot cried again, her concern more than evident, she never snapped like that.

"Steven… what you did was very irresponsible, you know how much pain that gem brought to the life of all of us…" Garnet said pointing at Jasper, who lowered her head, maybe for the first time, feeling something that may have been considered to be shame.

"I know it was irresponsible and dangerous!" Steven yelled back, surprising them all.

"What are you talking about Steven?" Jet asked, perplexed by Steven words.

"I know that I could have died down there…" Steven said lowering his gaze, rubbing his arm.

"W-why did you do it then?! Why did you do such a stupid thing?!" Peridot cried in disbelief.

"For the same reason I kept helping and caring about you!" Steven answered as Peridot's eyes became wide.

"W-what?" The green gem muttered.

"I always thought that we all have good inside of us, maybe we can't show it because we're too scared of what could happen…" Steven said looking at Peridot who now looked almost ashamed of her words.

"Or maybe…" He said as he turned around and gently took Jasper's hand with his much smaller one.

"Maybe it's just because you never had the chance to experience something like love, or compassion, all what Jasper have felt for the entire course of her life was pain, rage and hatred, and those were the things she was rewarded for feeling, so she thought those things were good… but… I show her something else…" Steven said smiling at Jasper who couldn't help but to smile back.

"Steven…" Garnet said before the young, caring boy turned around showing a sad smile.

"I know what Jasper did in the past… but I think that she changed… I can't force you to accept it as a certain fact… but I ask you to give her a chance… I heard Jet and Peridot saying that everyone deserves a second chance… and I think it too, I think that there is good in her, and I think that even after what she did, even my mom would have given her a second chance, knowing how much of a good person Jasper can be… trust me guys, I've seen it…" Steven said as Garnet lowered her gauntlets, making them disappear.

"Garnet! What are doing?" Amethyst asked getting to her side.

"I'm doing what Rose would have done and what her son already did…" Garnet said looking at Jasper.

"W-what?" Peridot asked as Garnet turned towards her.

"I'm giving her a chance…" She replied calmly.

Everyone made their weapons disappear, Steven sighed in relief, he managed to make his family understand his reasons, he knew that it wouldn't have been easy but he wouldn't permit someone to hurt Jasper, he believed she changed, and he wanted to show everyone that good can be found inside of anyone, even the ones who display nothing but darkness… still… there was something strange… something missing… Lapis and Pearl were not there… but when Steven realized that it was already too late… he heard someone screaming his name from above and then… when he raised his gaze… he saw them, flying towards him, a glowing, great scythe in their hands.

"Steven!" Angelite cried as she reached the beach, keeping her eyes fixed on the Homeworld warrior, if a glare could kill, than Jasper would be already dead.

"Lapis! Pearl! You're here!" Steven said approaching the fusion.

"What is she doing here?!" Angelite asked in disbelief.

"Listen I know this looks bad but it's not! I let her out!" Steven explained waving his arms, trying to distract the raging fusion from Jasper, who began to step back as Angelite stepped forward.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Angelite yelled furiously.

"P-please just let me explain, I-" Steven tried to speak but was cut off.

"THERE IS NOT EXPLANATION FOR SUCH AN IRRESPONSIBLE ACT STEVEN! DON'T YOU KNOW SHE COULD HAVE KILLED YOU?! AND ALL OF US?! DON'T YOU REMEMBER WHAT SHE DID TO US? WHAT SHE DID TO ME?!" Angelite spoke as tears began to stream down her upper pair of eyes, Steven could tell they were Lapis's ones.

"Lapis please! I know that you're angry b-but you have to listen to me! She changed! I-" Steven tried again but it was a worthless effort, he could see that in front of him there was the manifestation of Pearl's grief and frustration, and Lapis's anger and hatred, they couldn't see or hear.

"DON'T BEGIN WITH THAT STEVEN! YOU PERFECTLY KNOW THAT SHE'S NOTHING MORE THAN A WAR MACHINE! SHE WON'T EVER UNDERSTAND US, SHE WON'T EVER BE ABLE TO FEEL LOVE!" Angelite cried one last time before her tone became much more quite yet darker.

"I'm disappointed in you Steven… what would your mother think of you…" The fusion said as everyone remained mouth agape.

"S-she would be proud of-…" Steven tried to say before being cut off.

"PROUD?! PROUD OF WHAT?! PUTTING US ALL IN DANGER?! IF SHE WAS STILL HERE SHE WOULD HAVE HANDLED THIS BETTER THAN YOU! BUT SHE'S GONE BECAUSE OF YOU! NOW MOVE!" Angelite screamed angrily, Steven was shocked by such a statement, he couldn't believe Pearl and Lapis could say such a thing to him.

"Guys..." Steven said as tears began to stream down his face.

"It doesn't matter… I'm going to end this!" Angelite said before jumping towards Jasper, her scythe ready to strike.


	25. Chapter 25: The raging one

**CHAPTER 25: THE RAGING ONE**

"I'm disappointed in you Steven… what would your mother think of you…" The fusion said as everyone remained mouth agape.

"S-she would be proud of-…" Steven tried to say before being cut off.

"PROUD?! PROUD OF WHAT?! PUTTING US ALL IN DANGER?! IF SHE WAS STILL HERE SHE WOULD HAVE HANDLED THIS BETTER THAN YOU! BUT SHE'S GONE BECAUSE OF YOU! NOW MOVE!" Angelite screamed angrily, Steven was shocked by such a statement, he couldn't believe Pearl and Lapis could say such a thing to him.

"Guys..." Steven said as tears began to stream down his face.

"It doesn't matter… I'm going to end this!" Angelite said before jumping towards Jasper, her scythe ready to strike.

"No!" Steven cried as Angelite jumped over him an towards Jasper, who summoned her helmet, ready to defend herself.

"How could you come back?! You were broken!" Angelite screamed as she tried to slash Jasper, who managed to dodge her attack.

"Listen, Steven-" Jasper tried to talk, for the first time in her life she thought she could solve a situation with words and not with her physical strength, but the fusion in front of her wasn't make things easy.

"Shut… up! You may have fooled him, but not me! Not after what you have done!" Angelite yelled angrily as she kept trying to hit the so much hated rival.

"Guys stop! Garnet! Please you have to help her! Lapis and Pearl won't listen to me! They're too angry!" Steven pleaded as he reached the leader gem, who stared at the young boy for some moments before nodding.

"Peridot, Amethyst, Jet, we don't know what Angelite could be capable of, we never got to experience her true power, it could be dangerous, stay here with Steven, I'll try to reason with her…" Garent stated as she turned towards the fusion.

"Couldn't we just not risk our life against a angered fusion and let her destroy Jasper?" Peridot asked stepping backwards.

"Peridot!" Steven said as Garnet shook her head.

"Alright… but this won't end well…" Peridot sighed as Steven reached her and the others.

"Be careful ok? I've never seen them like that…" Steven said looking at his two friends, who now have become something completely different.

"Garnet, are you sure about this? She's like in a berserk mode or something, she could hurt you…" Jet asked as Garnet remained stoic in front of that possibility.

"Don't worry… I'll make her understand…" Garnet said as she began to approach the fighting gems.

"Why won't you die?!" Angelite screamed as her attacks became more furious, Jasper more and more weary.

"Stop!" Garnet yelled making the raging fusion stop attacking, Jasper caught the occasion to kneel and catch her breath, Angelite was making her have a really bad time.

"Garnet?! Why are you stopping me?!" Angelite cried in disbelief.

"Lapis, Pearl, unfuse right now!" Garnet said firmly as her eyes became wide.

"W-what?" Angelite asked, puzzled by what her comrade has just asked her to do.

"You've heard me, you hurt Steven, Lapis and Pearl would have never treated him that way, they would have listen to him, you're losing yourself in your hatred, unfuse now!" Garnet said raising her tone.

"What do you know about me?! I am myself! Don't treat me like if I'm crazy! You don't know what she did to me! I was inside her mind! I know how she really is and I'm not going to let her go!" Angelite yelled back as Garnet summoned her gauntlets.

"Lapis, you're letting your rage take control over you and Pearl, separate now or I'll-" Garnet was cut off by the staff of Angelite's scythe hitting her in the chest and making her fly and crash against Jet, who collapsed on the top of Peridot.

"Gah! Get up both of you! You're crushing me!" The poor green gem muttered as she tried to slip away from the duo who was crushing her.

"YOU WOULD DARE TO CHALLENGE ME?! BECAUSE OF HER?!" Angelite screamed as a great water hand began to form the ocean and suddenly grasped Jasper.

"Jasper no!" Steven yelled, squirming in Amethyst's arms and managing to make her let go.

"Steven stop! Come back here!" Amethyst said trying to catch him.

"Look at what you're doing! You're tearing us apart!" Angelite hissed between her teeth.

"Y-you a-are the o-one who's d-doing that…" Jasper muttered as the hand clenched around her, making her howl in pain.

"SHUT UP!" Angelite screamed raising her weapon over Jasper and bringing it down, she would end this right now, she wasn't right, Jasper was the one who hurt them, not her!

But instead of hitting the trapped gem, her scythe hit a bright pink shield. The impact caused a shock wave which made the great water hand shatter and the fusion stumble back. When she got up, her eyes widened when she noticed Steven kneeling down beside Jasper, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Are you ok?" Steven asked as Jasper slowly opened her eyes.

"I've been… better but… thank you…" Jasper muttered weakly giving the young boy a small grin.

"Steven?! What are you doing?! Get away from her! She's going to hurt you!" Angelite said clenching her fists.

"You're wrong! You are the one who was going to hurt me!" Steven yelled angrily as he stood between the fusion and Jasper.

"S-Steven?" Angelite muttered in disbelief.

"Look around you! You hurt Garnet! And Jet and Peridot! You couldn't just listen to me! You… you were so angry that you couldn't even control yourself! Jasper changed! I showed her something she has never experienced before and I changed her! But… but you were so fixed on hurting her that you didn't even care if you hurt other people in the meantime! You could have hurt me! You could have killed me if I didn't summon my shield!" Steven cried in a fit of anger, but he calmed down as he noticed Angelite covering her own mouth, tears streaming down from the pair of eyes he imagined appertained to Pearl.

"I… I c-could h-have k-killed m-my baby…" Angelite whispered before a bright light engulfed the fusion, followed by a loud pop sound.

Pearl and Lapis landed ungracefully on the ground, both of them exhausted and terrified by their own actions. Pearl got up trembling and sobbing, hands on her mouth as she looked at Steven, before she ran away in the house. Lapis tried to call her but she was too weak, together they were meant to be something beautiful and to do extraordinary things, but they became what she feared the most. Without saying anything, she got up, summoned her wings and flew over the cliff which overlooked the temple.

"Steven, are you ok?" Garnet asked approaching the boy who sniffed a little and wiped away his tears.

"Not… really, I… I have to talk to them…" Steven said as he slowly began to make his way towards the lighthouse.

"I… I'm… sorry, I didn't want this to happen…" Jasper almost whispered as she got up.

"Don't blame yourself, it wasn't your fault…" Garnet stated reaching her.

"I knew this wouldn't have gone well…" Jasper stated as she lowered her head.

"Indeed, this didn't go well. Listen Jasper, your actions may have seemed unforgivable to us, but Steven thought it was right to give you a second chance… and I'm doing the same, don't disappoint him… he puts a lot of trust in you…" Garnet said extending her hand towards the striped gem.

"I won't let him down…" Jasper said, a little bit surprised by Garnet's action, nonetheless she took her hand and shook it.

"I'm glad to hear that…" Garnet said turning around and heading towards Peridot, Amethyst and Jet.

"I… for what it's worth… I'm sorry… for what I did to you the first time we met… I may not understand you… but… if your parts really care so much about each other… then… I guess it wasn't right to separate them…" Jasper said, avoiding eye contact with the fusion, who was more than surprised to hear that, guess Steven really changed her…

"I'm glad to hear that too…" Garnet said giving the warrior a small smile… and Jasper did the same.


	26. Chapter 26: Love you no matter what

**CHAPTER 26: LOVE YOU NO MATTER WHAT**

"I… for what it's worth… I'm sorry… for what I did to you the first time we met… I may not understand you… but… if your parts really care so much about each other… then… I guess it wasn't right to separate them…" Jasper said, avoiding eye contact with the fusion, who was more than surprised to hear that, guess Steven really changed her…

"I'm glad to hear that too…" Garnet said giving the warrior a small smile… and Jasper did the same.

"So… uhm… should I-" Jasper asked scratching the back of her head awkwardly, the only one she had made some kind of bond with had just disappeared, and now she remained with many of the gems she hurt.

"Steven will be back shortly… you should join us… we have to discuss something with all the others…" Garnet said gesturing Jasper to follow her towards Amethyst, Jet and Peridot, who instinctively hid behind the cluster gem.

"So we are actually giving her a chance…" Peridot stated, sighing heavily.

"Peridot…" Jasper called her, making her jolt from behind Jet.

"Listen… I know that what I have done is despicable… I hurt you and all of Steven's family… I actually thought it was the right thing to do, after all it was what I was made to do… but now, after what Steven has showed me, I understand that the way I lived my life before was wrong and I don't want ever to go back… I'm sorry…" Jasper said keeping her gaze low, after all, she still felt shame in apologizing, in admitting her faults, it just wasn't in her nature, it still hurt her pride, but it was the right thing to do.

"Well… I do appreciate your apologies… and if there is something Steven showed me is that compassion is a way better way than hatred, I guess I'll give you another chance too…" Peridot said as Jasper gave her a slight grin.

"Same here, wait, just if you say 'I was a real jerk'" Amethyst said as Peridot and Jet snickered and Garnet shook her head, trying to hide a little smile.

"Fine, I was a real jerk…" Jasper said crossing her arms as Amethyst burst into laughter.

"Alright man, you're forgiven now…" Amethyst said as Jasper rolled her eyes.

"And, I don't think I've ever seen you…" Jasper said eyeing Jet.

"Well, Steven and the others found me, or maybe it's better to say that I've found them after Yellow Diamond released me from the Kindergarten…" Jet said, Jasper's eyes becoming wide as they fell on her gem, which she noticed was made by fragments.

"Are you… a cluster prototype?" Jasper asked in confusion.

"Yes, apparently I am…" Jet replayed, feeling a little ashamed, she thought Jasper would have discriminated her, after all, on Homeworld quartzes were high ranked gems, and well, she was some kind of messed up experiment, but Jasper's response just made her grin widely.

"Well, you seem pretty tough to me, and if you are strong enough to fight and protect Steven, than you shouldn't be ashamed of your origins, I'd like to do a friendly match with you some day…" Jasper said chuckling.

"Alright, if you want so much to get on the ground…" Jet said as both of the gems grinned to each other.

"Gems, we have to discuss something important… regarding our common enemy…" Garnet said as all of the gems became serious.

 **Meanwhile:**

"Lapis!" Steven called as he noticed the blue gem who was sitting on the cliff, her face hidden in her knees.

"Go away…" Lapis replayed coldly, hugging herself even more tightly.

"Lapis…" Steven murmured softly as he kneeled behind her.

"Please… just… stay away from me…" Lapis said, trying to held back tears.

"Lapis please… just look at me…" Steven pleaded placing a hand on her shoulder, she felt her flinch under his touch as he began to hear her sob quietly.

"S-Steven…" Lapis muttered, trying to choke her sobs, but as she felt a pair of arms embracing her, she couldn't hold back any longer, she turned around and hugged the young boy as tight as she could.

"Please Lapis, stop crying, it's alright…" Steven said holding her.

"No it's not! I could have killed you and all my hatred towards Jasper, my anger, my gried took control and made Pearl say something she didn't mean to say! I'm… I'm so sorry Steven! Please don't hate me!" Lapis said, her sobs by now uncontrollable.

"Lapis… it's true, you could have hurt me but it doesn't matter, you suffered so much because of Jasper and you were so angry that you couldn't think… but I could never hate you…" Steven said raising her face with his hands and giving her a warm smile.

"We're beach summer fun buddies aren't we?" Steven said as Lapis gave him a huge grin.

"We sure are!" Lapis said, but after some moments her smile faded away.

"But… why did you do it Steven? After all what she has done to you… after all what she has done to me…" Lapis said as shifting her gaze to the ground.

"Lapis… because of the same motive I decided to help you… even after what you did to me, my friends, my dad…" Steven said as Lapis gave him an ashamed look.

"I'm… I'm sorry…" Lapis said as Steven hugged her again.

"You already told me that enough times Lapis… I'm sorry if what I did hurt you but I had to… Jasper may have looked a pure evil being to all of you… but I just can't see someone as unsalvageable… maybe it's silly but I think that everyone deserves a second chance, because if someone did terrible things, than many horrible things must have happened to them too…" Steven said as Lapis smiled, even if he was such a young boy, Steven really was wise.

"You're right Steven… I would be an hypocrite if I blamed you for what you have done… but… it's hard to think she'll be around…" Lapis said as Steven held her hands.

"I know… but I'll be there to help you ok?" Steven said as Lapis nodded, being near Jasper would have been something hard in the beginning, but knowing that Steven would have been there to help her, made her understand that everything would have gone fine.

"Come on…" Steven said as they both got up and walked down the cliff, until they reached the others.

"Lapis…" Jasper tried to speak but became silent as the blue gem held her hand up and shook her head, 'At least she didn't crush me under the ocean' Jasper thought to herself.

"Guys, I'll check on Pearl, I have to know she's alright." Steven said running towards the house.

"As I was saying… Yellow Diamond and her pearl will reach us before we manage to destroy the cluster… that's why I came up with this plan… but I'll need your help, of all of you… or else we won't be able to stop that monstrosity." Garnet said as all of the gems listen to her plan.

 **Meanwhile:**

"You defective wretch… everyone was right about you… you don't deserve to be near to him again…" Pearl murmured as she kept sobbing, curled up on the ground of her room.

"You-" Her insults were interrupted by someone knocking at the temple's door.

"Pearl… please, open the door!" Steven called her from outside.

"G-go away… you should stay away from me! The only thing I'm capable of is hurting you!" Pearl cried

"Pearl we both know that's not true! Open the door!" Steven yelled as slowly, the temple's door opened, he didn't have the time to react, Pearl already lunched herself towards the young boy and tackled him to the ground, embracing him and sobbing in his hair.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" Pearl kept saying as Steven hugged her back, he knew she didn't mean all those terrible things she said, it was all their anger and hatred that made them say them, but, he still have some doubts, after all, he always had some doubts about the gems blaming him for his mother's disappearance.

"Pearl… d-do you hate me? For what I did to mom?" Steven asked looking her straight in the eyes.

"Steven… I… I guess it's the time to tell you how I really felt… I… I loved your mother, more than anyone else, and her choosing Greg over me was the most painful thing that has ever happened to me, I blamed him and you for her disappearance, but, deep down I knew it was only Rose who made that decision, you didn't want her to disappear and Greg didn't want her to disappear, I just… needed someone to blame… but as you grew up I understood her choice… you're a wonderful human and even a more amazing gem, just like your mother wanted, you're kind, brave, compassionate and you always put the other's needs in front of yours… I couldn't be prouder of you and I know that your mother feels the same, wherever she is… I'm sorry if I hurt you Steven… I love you and I'll always love you… no matter what…" Pearl said as tears streamed down both hers and Steven's face.

"I love you too Pearl…" Steven said smiling as they hugged each other tightly.

 **Ahhhh the feels, hope it was not too cheesy for you guys, but you know, I'm a sentimental guy, we hope you enjoyed this chapter and the story so far, thanks for all the reviews, favs and follows and we'll see you, in the next chapter! Bye bye!**


	27. Chapter 27: Hidden memories

**CHAPTER 27: HIDDEN MEMORIES**

"Pearl… d-do you hate me? For what I did to mom?" Steven asked looking her straight in the eyes.

"Steven… I… I guess it's the time to tell you how I really felt… I… I loved your mother, more than anyone else, and her choosing Greg over me was the most painful thing that has ever happened to me, I blamed him and you for her disappearance, but, deep down I knew it was only Rose who made that decision, you didn't want her to disappear and Greg didn't want her to disappear, I just… needed someone to blame… but as you grew up I understood her choice… you're a wonderful human and even a more amazing gem, just like your mother wanted, you're kind, brave, compassionate and you always put the other's needs in front of yours… I couldn't be prouder of you and I know that your mother feels the same, wherever she is… I'm sorry if I hurt you Steven… I love you and I'll always love you… no matter what…" Pearl said as tears streamed down both hers and Steven's face.

"I love you too Pearl…" Steven said smiling as they hugged each other tightly.

One hour later all of the gems reunited into the living room, Garnet managed to convince Lapis to stay in the same room with Jasper, and Steven managed to convince Pearl that there wasn't any actual threat. Garnet began to explain her vision regarding Yellow Diamond to Lapis and Pearl and together, they started to elaborate a plan.

"No matter how fast we try to build the machine or where we do it, Yellow Diamond and her servant will find us and destroy the machine before we can use it…" Garnet said, everyone trying to figure out how to solve the situation.

"Some of us could keep her busy while the others could use the machine." Jasper proposed, Garnet shaking her head.

"Before the machine can be activated, Yellow Diamond always manage to pass through any of us…" Garnet answered, everyone sighing in defeat.

"Donuts!" Steven yelled happily as he entered the front door.

"Donuts?" Jet, Jasper, Peridot and Lapis said in unison.

"Steven, this isn't really the time for your, ehm, sweets, we're trying to elaborate a plan." Pearl stated passing a hand through her hair.

"I know! You've been thinking about the plan for at least an hour, sometimes, to find the answer, you just have to do something else." Steven said, Pearl couldn't help but smile, alongside the other gems, Steven really was something else.

"Does your statement even have a logic?" Peridot asked as Steven moved towards her, offering a donut to the perplexed gem.

"Yep, now try it!" Steven said distributing donuts to all the gems, except for Pearl obviously.

"Do you think this is a good idea? I mean-" Peridot tried to object only to be interrupted by Jasper.

"Come on! Just try it!" Jasper said gesturing towards the donut.

"Okay…" Peridot said sighing.

Amethyst devoured her one in just one bite, same for Jasper who put the whole thing in her mouth before chewing, while Jet, Garnet, Lapis and Peridot took a small bite of theirs. While a large grin appeared on Jasper's and Lapis's face, Jet made a displeased expression, but Peridot, well many would have paid to see her face, in fact she grimaced almost if she was in pain.

"Oh my- please someone just poof me now!" Peridot exclaimed using her digits to get the horrible flavor away from her mouth.

"What are you saying?! This is one of the most amazing things I ever tried!" Jasper said licking her fingers clean.

"Hehe, knew that some of you would have enjoyed it!" Steven said snickering.

"Is there any left?" Jasper said looking around.

"Where's the bag?" Steven asked turning around and noticing that Amethyst got it when no one was looking.

"You better give it to me!" Jasper said showing a large grin.

"Then come here…" Amethyst said keeping the bag behind her.

When Jasper began to approach her, Amethyst took the bag of donuts from behind her back and passed it to Jasper, who took it and began to open it. It was a shame for her to notice that the bag was empty and Amethyst was munching on the last donut, she took it out of the bag when it was behind her and gave the empty bag to Jasper.

"Good shot little one!" Jasper said crossing her arms as everyone laughed, until Garnet stopped abruptly, kneeling down to Steven and showing him a large smile.

"You're a genius Steven!" Garnet exclaimed.

"Did I lose something?" Peridot asked as everyone adopted the same perplexed expression.

"We've got a plan!" Garnet said, standing up and moving towards the warp pad.

"Come on gems! We've got a work to do! Soon we'll have to confront our enemies again, be ready…" Garnet said standing on the warp pad.

"Wait!" Peridot said, everyone stopping and turning towards her.

"What is it Peridot?" Pearl asked, her eyes widening as she heard Peridot's demand.

"Pearl… I know it's hard but, you should tell everyone what you told me about that pearl who follows Yellow Diamond…" Peridot talked with a hint of fear in her voice.

"Y-you said you wouldn't have told anyone!" Pearl cried pointing at the green gem.

"Pearl please be reasonable! I know how much this thing is hurting you and we can help you but only if you let us in!" Peridot said as everyone turned towards Pearl.

"I-I… very well…" Pearl sighed heavily.

"What is she talking about Pearl?" Steven asked taking her hand in his own.

"Long time ago… when the rebellion started, I wasn't the only pearl who thought what Homeworld was doing was wrong, I wasn't the only pearl who wanted to free, there was another one, being of the same kind we soon became near, we became very close friends, Rose helped us learning how to fight and we thought we were, unstoppable, that until, one day, we got cornered, there were too many Homeworld's gems, I tried my hardest but I knew we were going to be shattered, that's when she took my hand and told me to run, I didn't want to abandon her, but Rose was there too, she didn't want all of us to die so she took me and ran away, she told me abandoning a fellow gem was one of the most hard things she had to do… I still remember her giving me a reassuring smile while me and Rose escaped, we always told each other that freedom is what is really Worth fighting for… it was really hard to see her again, and, and the worst part… is that she doesn't even remember me… I'm sorry I didn't tell you but, I was scared I could become a burden…" Pearl said wiping away some tears.

"Pearl, don't worry about all this, if you were that close, I know she'll remember you, Yellow Diamond must have used her powers to control her, but those kind of tricks never last long… she'll come back…" Garnet said in a reassuring tone of voice.

"Thank you Garnet…" Pearl said, everyone nodding and following Garnet on the warp pad, they had a plan and they were ready to face their enemies, it would have been hard, but they knew that if they stayed together, there wasn't one single foe who could have defeated them.


	28. Chapter 28: The plan

**CHAPTER 28: THE PLAN**

Many days passed as the gems kept working on the drill machine, between laughs and little fights the project began to take form. The day of Garnet's vision was becoming nearer and nearer and she hoped that everyone would be strong enough to face it. All of the gems began to get used to Jasper, after all, she looked like a bigger version of Amethys, which in fact, she was, maybe only a little more violent. Even Pearl started not to be bother by Jasper, when the large gem would help with the machine, raising heavy parts, Pearl would almost immediately fuse with Amethyst and raise something bigger, showing a teasing smile.

"We'll see who's the strongest when you separate!" Jasper always yelled back, although showing a large grin, she wasn't still used to all this, donuts, Steven, what could be called… friends? But she was starting to enjoy it.

The only one who didn't bear the presence of the gem was Lapis, she couldn't still watch the large gem without becoming enraged and disgusted. She knew Steven was a wonderful boy and always had hope for everyone, yet, she just couldn't go over what Jasper did. She kept helping nonetheless, she knew that if they hadn't build the machine, everything Steven cared would have been destroyed, and she couldn't allow that. Jasper however, didn't like the situation.

"Lapis…" Jasper called her as the blue gem appeared from behind the barn, only to turn back as she saw Jasper.

"Hey!" The bigger gem called chasing the smaller one behind the barn and blocking her grasping her wrist.

"Let me go! Let me go now!" Lapis yelled angrily.

"Will you just shut up for a moment?!" Jasper yelled back, effectively making Lapis shut up.

"Go away…" Lapis hissed as Jasper released her.

"Listen-" Jasper tried to speak but was cut off by a finger poking her chest.

"I don't want to listen to you! You can't force me!" Lapis told her.

"I know! I just want to talk to you!" Jasper explained, Lapis wasn't having any of it.

"Please Jasper, shut up and don't cross my path again…" Lapis said crossing her arms and shaking her head.

"Or what? You're going to bury me under the ocean again?" Jasper really wasn't used to conversation.

"You don't know how much I'd like to do that…" Lapis hissed, turning around.

"Well… okay, you win, I won't bother you anymore…" Jasper said raising her hands in defeat, Lapis only crossed her arms.

"For what it's worth, I'm… sorry for what I did to you, you were nothing but a filthy traitor to my eyes but, having met Steven, having seen what he can do for other people, well, I don't blame you for having chosen his side, I did it too…" Jasper said leaving Lapis behind the barn.

"Alright gems, this is it!" Garnet said, all of the gems reunited around her, all of them looking at the almost completed machine.

"We can do it!" Steven shouted happily.

"Now, we all remember the plan right?" Garnet asked as everyone nodded.

Hours passed as the machine remained hidden under many white sheets, Peridot making the last changes. The gems kept their eyes fixed on their surroundings, trying to spot their enemy. Garnet sensed that they was near. A shout confirmed her fears.

"Crystal Gems!" A looming figure shouted approaching them.

"Be ready gems! She's here!" Garnet shouted summoning her gauntlets.

"I must say I'm really disappointed in you amalgamate… I thought you would have been a great ally but-" The figure was interrupted.

"Slave, I would have been a slave, and my name isn't amalgamate, my name is Jet!" Jet shouted summoning her halberd.

"And who gave you that name? The hybrid? Typical of him to encourage abominations, he himself is one after all…" The dark figure laughed maliciously.

"Shut up! You know nothing about Steven and a wicked, sick being like you could never understand him, quit hiding Yellow Diamond! You've lost!" Garnet yelled.

"She's right! You're going down!" Amethyst shouted at her.

"Hmmm, you're right, there's no need to hide, but you're wrong, I haven't lost…" Yellow Diamond said revealing her broken face, hidden under her hood.

"Her gem is cracked! Don't hold back! She doesn't stand a chance against all of us!" Lapis shouted hovering in the air, pointing at the incoming enemy.

"You know, you're the only one I won't crush with my hands, I'll just put you in a mirror near to my dear sister…" Yellow Diamond snickered evilly.

"Shut up!" Lapis screamed flying towards her.

Yellow Diamond didn't waste time, she summoned her great sword and swung it towards Lapis, missing her and receiving a punch right to her nose by the water gem. Followed by a punch to her stomach, kind gift of Garnet.

"You little insolents!" Yellow Diamond screamed dodging Jet's attack.

The Homeworld's leader was strong, but not so fast, she couldn't hit the gems one single time while the gems managed to land many blows on her. But… being a diamond really was an advantage, one hell of advantage. The first to commit an error was Jet, she swung her halberd towards Yellow Diamond when everyone else took a step back to recover, no one was there to cover Jet, the heartless leader slashed through her chest, Jet disappearing into a cloud of smoke. The second to fall was Amethyst, her rage took over and she lost her concentration, she tried to slash Yellow Diamond with her whip when the leader was already turned towards her, she grasped the whip, pulled it towards her and hit Amethyst.

"Lapis!" Garnet shouted starting to move towards the sheets covered machine.

"Oh no, you won't use it!" Yellow Diamond said chasing them.

Garnet and Lapis rushed behind the machine, to Yellow Diamond this seemed like a desperate act of the traitors to complete their objective, having understood that their end was near. She was pretty surprised when she raised the sheets and was met by a punch to her face. There was nothing under those sheets, just some poles used to support them. Oh, and of course Jasper, who gladly took the opportunity to hit her ex leader right in the face.

"Surprise!" Jasper yelled rushing towards her leader.

"You too… that little pest… first his mother takes the loyalty of my soldiers, now him?! I'll make sure he'll never see the light again!" Yellow Diamond yelled charging against her opponent.

Meanwhile, in the beta Kindergarten:

"Are you sure this is the place Peridot?" Steven asked looking at his surroundings.

"Yes Steven, the map contained in the database of my limb enhancers reveals the exact position of the Cluster, it's situated in this exact site two thousands and five hundreds units down… I hope the others are keeping them busy, it has been a rather brilliant plan I must admit, those poles and your fabric for body heating must have been pretty convincing…" Peridot stated examining the real drill machine in front of them.

"We can't lose time, if there is even a small chance that they-" Pearl was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Survive? Like you did leaving me behind?" A voice said coming from behind them.

"How can she be already here?!" Peridot shrieked charging her blaster.

"You must go! Now! Both of you in the machine! I'll keep her busy! There's not much time left!" Pearl said summoning her spear.

"But Pearl-" Steven was cut off short by Peridot raising him from the ground.

"What are you doing?! We must help Pearl!" He said as she carried him inside the pod connected to the drill.

"Steven the Cluster could awake at any moment and if we stay here we may be destroyed and that means that all the Earth will die with us, we can't permit that right?" Peridot asked starting the machinery. She noticed however Steven's look, despite her cynical nature, Steven made her show her most human part.

"She'll be okay Steven, we'll be back shortly and we'll help her, I promise." Peridot said as the drill began to activate.

"No!" Black Pearl screamed jumping towards the machine, unfortunately for her, Pearl jumped and pushed her aside before she could hit the machine and when she got up, it was already gone, into the dark abysses of the Earth.


	29. Chapter 29: Like sisters

**CHAPTER 29: LIKE SISTERS**

"No!" Black Pearl screamed jumping towards the machine, unfortunately for her, Pearl jumped and pushed her aside before she could hit the machine and when she got up, it was already gone, into the dark abysses of the Earth.

 **Meanwhile:**

"You can't keep dodging forever!" Yellow Diamond shouted trying to hit Jasper.

"Want to bet?" Jasper answered dodging her sword and punching her in the jaw.

But even if Jasper was smaller and quicker, she knew that sooner or later Yellow Diamond would have had the upper hand. When Garnet managed to take her by surprise, Jasper took this occasion and headed towards Lapis.

"Lapis!" Jasper yelled to the flying gem.

"What?!" Lapis shouted back reaching the former ally.

"Listen, I know you won't like this but-" Jasper was cut off by Lapis.

"No! Absolutely not! I know what you're going to ask and my answer is no!" Lapis already knew what Jasper wanted, she wouldn't have committed the same error again.

"Do you see another way to beat her?! She's a diamond!" Jasper screamed as Lapis pulled at her hair nervously.

"I-I-" Lapis couldn't think straight, and this is why she didn't have the time to react when Jasper was kicked away and Yellow Diamond stood in front of her.

"Well, I thought that fusion would have been more of a challenge, guess I was wrong…" Yellow Diamond said as Lapis noticed Garnet's gems lying to the ground.

"Y-you're not going to hurt her!" Lapis yelled clenching her fists.

"Her? She's a fusion Lapis open your eyes, she's two different gems and what they do together is an abomination… plus, I'm not going to hurt her, the Cluster will…" Yellow Diamond kept getting closer.

"You're wrong! The Cluster will be stopped! By now Steven, Pearl and Peridot will already be using our machine!" Lapis yelled stepping back.

"Oh is those poor idiots you're only hope to destroy my creation? What a shame… did you notice I came here alone?" Yellow Diamond sneered evilly, Lapis's eyes becoming wide with a terrible realization.

"N-no…" Lapis murmured summoning her wings and trying to fly away, but the Homeworld's leader was too quick and grabbed her.

"You know, after all, I don't think I'll need another mirror, these traitors will die because of the Cluster, this will be for my… personal satisfaction." Yellow Diamond laughed as she held Lapis by her arms and pointed her sword to her gem, ready to strike.

"Get off her!" Jasper yelled jumping and hitting Yellow Diamond, who lost grip on Lapis, making her fall to the ground.

"J-Jasper…" Lapis murmured, eyes wide with surprise.

"Lapis... listen, I'm really sorry for what I've done to you, there is no excuse and I know it, so don't see it as something you do for me, do this for Steven..." Jasper said offering her hand to Lapis.

"For Steven." Lapis murmured as she grasped Jasper's hand, who pulled her up and made her do a spin before a bright light engulfed the duo.

"You cowards! Face destruction as yourselves" Yellow Diamond cried as the gargantuan fusion appeared.

"You won't see another day!" Malachite yelled charging towards the Homeworld's leader.

"Turning into an abomination won't stop me!" Yellow Diamond raised her sword and jumped towards the fusion.

Yellow Diamond tried to hit the fusion but it quickly dodged her sword and punched the Homeworld's leader, making her fly towards the barn, crushing into it. She slowly got up from the ground, thinking about a way she could have defeated Malachite, but even for a diamond, a fusion like Malachite was too strong to defeat on their own. Yellow Diamond tried to slash again the opponent but was immediately caught in the fusion's iron grip. Malachite's grip tightened as Yellow Diamond cried in pain.

"Y-you'll regret this!" Yellow Diamond cried trying to get free.

"Shut up! I'm going to crush your gem and no one will remember you! I'm going to make sure you won't hurt anyone anymore!" Malachite raised her fist on Yellow Diamond's head ready to strike, but something made her stop, a loud noise from above, and when she raised her gaze, she saw something enormous rip the clouds and descended towards them… a white, Homeworld spaceship, there wasn't time to react, a bright beam flooded the mighty fusion and in a blink, Lapis and Jasper were on the ground.

"That, was a great inconvenient…" Yellow Diamond sighed moving towards the two of them.

"You're a monster! Even if you defeat us, even if you stop us you'll be destroyed by your own creation!" Lapis yelled crawling back.

"Oh Lapis, so naïve, do you think in all this time I didn't attack you because I was scared? Or hurt? When I ran away from that facility, I knew I couldn't beat all of you, in a way or another, you would have destroyed me, so, I did something about it." Yellow Diamond said as Lapis froze, hearing

 **Meanwhile:**

"We are near Steven!" Peridot said guiding the drill towards their objective.

"It's sooo hot!" Steven complained wiping his sweat.

"Being a gem the concept of temperature doesn't conceal me, in your case, well, just stay focused, we are arriving at destination!" Peridot said noticing on the drill's radar the Cluster was becoming nearer and nearer.

* * *

"You…" Black Pearl had only hatred in her eyes as she summoned her sword and moved towards Pearl.

"Black please, you don't have to do this!" Pearl shouted summoning her spear and blocking and incoming attack.

"Stop talking! I hate you!" Black released all of her rage in her hits, making it hard for Pearl to dodge all of them.

"You don't know what you're talking about! Yellow Diamond lied to you! I'm not what she told you I am!" Pearl said as tears started to form in the corners of her eyes.

"Shut up!" Black cried becoming faster and faster.

* * *

"Steven we're here!" Peridot yelled, he could hear terror in her voice, he noticed it too, they reached something the drill couldn't pass through, something enormous and ancient.

"Now we just have to-" The green gem was interrupted by a strong jolt which made both her and Steven fall back.

"It's awakening!" Steven said noticing a white, bright light outside the drill machine.

"We have to do it now!" Peridot screamed moving towards the control panel.

"Peridot quick!" Steven pleaded coming at her side.

"I'm doing it I'm doing it!" Peridot touched the panel one last time, the drill head began to part revealing a bright shard.

"Now!" She yelled as Steven grasped the red knob Peridot used before to start the machine and moved it forward… so did the machine, moving towards the Cluster and piercing it with the shard, bright white veins of light spreading through the enormous mass in front of them.

* * *

"You're the one who made me this!" Black yelled slashing through Pearl's chest, cutting through her vest.

"Agh!" Pearl cried stumbling backwards and falling to the ground.

"Y-you're going to pay for what you did!" Black said jumping on Pearl and pinning her to the ground, Pearl shutting her eyes.

"Look at me!" Black screamed, Pearl did as she was told.

"Black… please…" Pearl begged, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"S-shut up! Now you'll tell me how you abandoned me there in that horrible place and you'll beg me to spare your life!" Black yelled, Pearl could notice her eyes were also watering, they both stared into each other's eyes until Pearl spoke.

"I can't, Black, I can't tell you that I hurt you because I never did that, I would never do that… we were like sisters…" Pearl told her, Black slowly released her wrists.

"You're lying… you're lying!" Black began to hold her head with both her hands, her face twisted in pain.

"Black… it's me…" Pearl said softly laying her hand on her cheek. Black laid her own hand on Pearl's one, did she remember?

"I know who you are…" Black hissed, that horrible, yellow glow coming back to her eyes. Pearl couldn't do anything, she just stared mouth agape as Black took her sword and pierced her chest.

"Pearl!" Steven yelled, Black only managed to turn around before a shield hit her right in the head.

"Steven don't go near to her!" Peridot called, too late, Steven rushed towards her and quickly too Pearl's gem in her hand, and put his hands in front of Black.

"She's mine! Give her back to-" Black became silent as a pink bubble appeared around her.

"Let me free!" She yelled pounding the bubble.

"No! You have to stop behaving like this! Pearl is your friend!" Steven said as Black covered her ears.

"Shut up! Shut up shut up! S-she's n-not my friend!" Black fell to her knees.

"You were friends! You both escaped from Homeworld and fought alongside my mom! Pearl didn't abandon you! You chose to stay behind to save her! Yellow Diamond lied to you!" Steven explained, it hurt him to see her like this, even if she hurt Pearl.

"Please… stop… t-this… isn't true…" Black began to sob quietly.

"You always told each other, freedom is what is really worth fighting for…" Steven said with a smile, Black's eyes widening, that horrible yellow light disappearing from them.

"How moving…" A voice called from behind him.

"Steven no!" Peridot screamed in despair.

Steven didn't have time, he just turned around and found himself with blade in his chest. His eyes fell on the large gem in front of him, Yellow Diamond, and behind her, a taller, white gem, with pointy hair and a rhomboidal gem embedded in her forehead and a black cloak, which covered her silver armor.

"Peridot… run…" Steven whispered as everything went black.


	30. Chapter 30: Far from home

**CHAPTER 30: FAR FROM HOME**

"My head…" Steven groaned as he held his head, slowly getting up from the ground.

"Where am I?" He said starting to notice his surroundings.

Steven began to look around as he stood up, the last thing he remember was staying in front of Black Pearl as he tried to make her remember about Pearl. Then everything went black as Peridot called him. He couldn't recognize the place he was now. It was beautiful garden, wherever he looked he could see bushes of roses.

"What is this place?" Steven wondered moving through the garden.

Steven kept exploring until he began to hear a distant voice. It was like if someone was humming a melody in the distance. Steven felt like if this voice was familiar to him, as if he heard it before, but he couldn't remember where.

"Guys? Are you there?" Steven called, thinking that maybe one of the gems was the one who was singing, it could have been Sapphire, like on Peridot's ship when she first came to Earth.

Steven began to worry, he was alone, alone in a place he didn't know, without his family to support him, they probably have been hurt by Yellow Diamond and he couldn't help them. He had to find them. He kept wandering around, following the sound of the mysterious voice, until he began to spot a large fountain, and someone was sitting on its edge, slowly moving its hand in the water, humming a familiar tune. As Steven approached the figure, he began to notice it wasn't a stranger, he knew very well who was the one singing, she was tall, and was wearing a white dress, she had long, pink hair and the most sweet voice he ever heard.

"M-mom?" Steven called in disbelief, as the tall gem stopped humming and began to turn around.

 **Meanwhile:**

"Jasper stop hitting the wall! Your outrage is making me extremely uncomfortable!" Peridot yelled from her cell, which was in front of Jasper's one.

"Oh I'm really sorry if I'm bothering you, would you like to entertain a stimulating conversation about how we're going to die instead?" Jasper barked at the green gem.

"Stop! We are not going to die!" Ruby said from her cell.

"Yeah of course…" Amethyst wasn't of the same opinion.

"Now Amethyst, this isn't the time for sarcasm! We have to stay determined! Steven will find us! Where did they put him anyway?" Pearl asked looking at the cells in front of her, she could only see Amethyst and Sapphire.

"I can't see him… this is strange…" Sapphire said placing her hand on her forehead.

"Oh… oh no…" Peridot murmured, her eyes wide.

"Peridot? What's up with you? Do you know something we should know?" Jet asked from her cell.

"N-nothing!" Peridot blurted out, this of course, made the gems start to worry.

"Peridot… where's Steven?" Jasper asked looking straight in her eyes.

"S-Steven… h-he was trying to talk to that Pearl, he didn't even have the time to react… Y-Yellow Diamond j-just, hit him… I-I didn't even see what happened after!" Peridot said flinching at Jasper who tried to reach her only to be zapped by her cell's door.

"You abandoned him!" Jasper yelled clenching her fists.

"H-he told me to run! I was scared!" Peridot tried to justify herself as everyone else became silent.

"He… he'll be alright! I know it!" Ruby tried to cheer everyone up, she wasn't so convinced.

"Steven is half human… c-could he be…" Lapis couldn't even say it, she just held her head sitting on the ground.

"Pearl! Pearl listen to me! He's going to be alright! Nothing can harm Steven! He's a tough boy I know it!" Amethyst saw that Pearl was curled up on the ground, breathing heavily, she had to keep her mind away from dark thoughts.

"We have to find him!" Lapis shouted.

"None of you will escape this time, Steven won't save you this time…" Yellow Diamond stepped through the corridor of cells.

"If you hurt him I swear you'll regret it!" Pearl said standing up to face the imposing gem.

"Such a fire in such a gem, pearls like you should just stay still and obey your master, yet you still want to fight, even if your master isn't alive anymore…" Yellow Diamond spoke with a devious smile on her face.

"You're lying! I won't believe you, we won't believe you! You're a liar and you'll fall!" Pearl shouted back, Yellow Diamond's smile disappearing.

"How much I'd like to shatter you with my hands… but she wants you…" Yellow Diamond said turning around and walking away.

"Who wants me?!" Pearl asked as Yellow Diamond kept walking.

"You'll know soon, now prepare yourself, we're landing on Homeworld in a day…" Yellow Diamond said before disappearing into the corridors of the ship.

"She was lying!" Jet said punching the wall of her cell.

"She was… I'm sure of it… Steven please be fine…" Pearl muttered sitting on the ground.

 **Meanwhile:**

"M-mom?" Steven said watching at the tall gem.

"Steven? Steven!" Rose said out loud standing up and looking at her son with a bright smile, in matter of seconds they both ran towards each other, hugging tightly as soon as they reached each other.

"I thought I would never see you!" Steven cried, tears in his eyes as he hugged his mother, giggling foolishly.

"Oh Steven, my sweet, sweet child, I love you! I always wanted to say it to you!" Rose laughed as tears streamed down her face, she couldn't believe she was actually embracing her son.

"I love you too mom! And I know you love me! Every time I loved being myself I knew it was you who was loving me!" Steven said as stars appeared in Rose's eyes.

"Did you find the tape me and your father recorded for you?" Rose asked, sitting on the ground, her son in her lap.

"Yes! It was great! Thank you mom for that!" Steven said, she couldn't believe her son was such a sweet child.

"And since you found that, you must have found the guardian I've created for you…" Rose said, Steven nodded.

"I've found him, Lion is great and he's an important part of my family, I've always seen him as a… ehm… connection with you…" Steven said as Rose placed her hand on his cheek.

"I've created him for that…" Rose said, but slowly her smile disappeared.

"Mom? Is everything alright?" Steven asked as his mother gave him a sad smile.

"Steven… I'm, I'm so happy I met you but… do you understand what this place is?" Rose asked.

"I… I didn't think about it…" Steven said starting to worry.

"Steven… you're inside of your gem in this moment… s-someone must have hurt you…" Rose couldn't held back tears at the idea of someone hurting her child, she felt a soft finger wiping away her tears.

"Mom please, don't cry!" Steven said as his mother held his hand on her cheek.

"Who could ever hurt you? You're such a sweet, kind child Steven…" Rose smiled as Steven did the same.

"Yellow Diamond reached us mom… I, I think she's bringing us on Homeworld…" Steven said as Rose covered her mouth in shock.

"I… I thought they would never come back… I'm s-so sorry Steven…" Rose couldn't believe it, after all what she has done, her son had to pay for her acts.

"Don't be sorry mom, you saved the Earth and each one of us… Homeworld managed to come back but that's not a bad thing! Jasper and Peridot were two gems of Homeworld, they wanted to bring us back, to hurt us, but I showed them the beauty of the Earth and I showed them what love and compassion is! They changed and if they'll take us on Homeworld, I could show each one of them that there is another way!" Steven said, Rose looked him in amazement, his son changed two homeworld gems, and one of them is a quartz!

"I couldn't be prouder of you Steven… what you're going to do is very dangerous… I wish I could help you…" Rose said looking at the ground, but her face was immediately held up by Steven, a bright smile on his face.

"You already do it, loving me from within me…" Steven said as they hugged again.

"Steven… I-I don't want anything bad to happen to you…" Rose said, her face buried in her son's hair.

"I know mom, but I have to go back! I have to save my family… even if it means that I could get hurt…" Steven gave his mother a sad smile.

"You're such a brave boy Steven… I'm so proud of you, remember it, and remember that having fate in the others isn't a weakness, it's what makes you special…" Rose said embracing his son for a last time, before a bright light began to engulf Steven.

"D-do I have to go already?" Steven asked as his mother held his hands.

"I now it's earlier than you expected… but don't worry Steven, I'll always be with you, always… tell Amethyst never to change, tell Garnet to remember that what she is, is the most beautiful thing ever, tell Pearl that I know it must be hard to go on without me, but that since you became such a wonderful boy, it must be also her merit, tell her I'm proud of her, and… tell Greg that I always loved him and I still do…" Rose said as everything around Steven became brighter and brighter.

"I will mom! I love you!" Steven said, by this point he couldn't see anything, he just heard his mother's soft voice.

"I love you too Steven!" Rose's voice echoed in the light as everything became clearer.


	31. Chapter 31: The right choice

**CHAPTER 31: THE RIGHT CHOICE**

"D-do I have to go already?" Steven asked as his mother held his hands.

"I now it's earlier than you expected… but don't worry Steven, I'll always be with you, always… tell Amethyst never to change, tell Garnet to remember that what she is, is the most beautiful thing ever, tell Pearl that I know it must be hard to go on without me, but that since you became such a wonderful boy, it must be also her merit, tell her I'm proud of her, and… tell Greg that I always loved him and I still do…" Rose said as everything around Steven became brighter and brighter.

"I will mom! I love you!" Steven said, by this point he couldn't see anything, he just heard his mother's soft voice.

"I love you too Steven!" Rose's voice echoed in the light as everything became clearer.

"Welcome back…" A dark voice whispered.

"Ugh… w-where am I?" Steven asked rubbing his eyes.

"On Homeworld son of Rose Quartz…" The voice answered.

"H-Homeworld?" Steven asked, his vision was clear now, he was in a small cell, similar to the ones on Peridot's ship, in front of him, stood a tall, menacing gem, Yellow Diamond.

"I must say I'm surprised, I never thought your gem side could heal your organic one, you are indeed something extraordinary… but you are an abomination… and abominations must be destroyed…" Yellow Diamond said as Steven got up, in front of him, a series of bars blocking the cell's door.

"That's not true! Just because I'm different or just because someone thinks in different way that doesn't make them defective!" Steven said.

"Gems are created to serve Homeworld, if they don't, then they are defective, they are a menace for the harmony of our world and they must be destroyed…" Yellow Diamond said crossing her arms.

"But this isn't harmony! This is slavery! There is nothing great about it!" Steven yelled at the leader.

"You'll do well to shut your mouth! Don't you dare to cast doubts on the greatness of our kingdom!" Yellow Diamond started to lose her temper.

"Your kingdom is based on fear! All of your gems serve you just because they are afraid! I've seen it! They would immediately choose to protect the Earth if I showed them how much it can offer to them, they could be free and they could love each other without being scared of showing it! And that wouldn't make them defective! They would be normal people! They wouldn't be forced to hurt other people! You are the defective gem!" Steven yelled back angrily, Yellow Diamond's eyes becoming wide.

"You little worm! I'll crush you in front of all your friends in the central square! You'll die between the cheers of my people and when you'll be dead alongside all those filthy rebels, I'll go back on Earth and use it for a new colony!" Yellow Diamond yelled, gripping the cell's bars.

"We won't let you!" Steven stood still, fists clenched, he wasn't afraid.

"I hope your mother is still somewhere near to you… because if she will get to see you die, then it will give me even more satisfaction…" Yellow Diamond displayed a devious grin, before walking away.

 **Meanwhile:**

Each one of the gems were silent as they all waited for something to happen. They didn't know what to do, they didn't have a plan, it was hard to admit, but they have been defeated. When they were taken to Yellow Diamond palace's prison, they saw what Homeworld became, a gigantic metropolis, buildings as far as the eyes could see, they disappeared into a gray, lifeless sky, needless to say, Homeworld changed, the most terrifying thing is that gems always thought they were superior to other races, but sadly, they weren't so different from humans, in the name of progress they were ruining what once was a wonderful world. The silence was broken by two guards entering the dungeon, imposing and menacing, the two milky white quartzes made their way towards Pearl's cell.

"Why does her highness want her?" The first one asked.

"Don't know, look at her, she's just a pathetic defect…" The second one laughed.

"Just turn off the field and I'll show you how pathetic I am…" Pearl hissed, she would never accept defeat, something Rose taught her.

"Oh ho, so much fire in such a small gem, I would really like to make you squirm beneath me, just to see all that pride of yours vanish…" The second quartz smiled wickedly as she deactivated the cell's door.

"You're not going to touch her, her highness will have us both shattered if something happens to her…" The first one said as she stepped towards Pearl and placing her hand on the smaller gem's shoulder, only for it to be smacked away.

"Don't touch me…" Pearl muttered stepping out of her cell.

"I hope she wants you only to make you suffer in front of her…" The quartz said as she pushed Pearl towards the dungeon's exit.

"Hey! Where are you taking her?!" Amethyst yelled as the quartzes disappeared from the prison.

"We have to get out of here!" Ruby yelled punching the wall.

"How?!" Peridot was panicking, would they take all of them one by one until they were all shattered?

"I don't know! Gosh, if only Steven was here…" Ruby said leaning against her cell's wall.

"Go through this door." The milky quartz commanded standing by Pearl's side.

"What is in this room?" Pearl asked eyeing the massive door in front of her, she didn't receive any answer, just a rough push and she was on the ground inside the room, a great staircase in front of her.

"Hello Pearl…" A voice said from the top of the stairs, Pearl's eyes went wide in terror, she could never forget that voice, the voice… of her Diamond.

"It's been a long time…" White Diamond said as Pearl got up, her entire body shaking.

 **Meanwhile:**

"You…" A voice called from outside Steven's cell.

"Wha- who are you?" Steven got up and reached the bars of his cell, only to find himself face to face with Black, he fell back and released a surprise yelp.

"Shhh! Stay quiet!" Black hissed as Steven looked at her in confusion.

"What are you doing?" Steven asked slowly approaching the gem.

"Don't talk… they can't hear us… or we'll be doomed…" Black said reaching for the panel near Steven's cell, in matter of minutes, it opened.

"Black… thank you…" Steven whispered reaching the gem and giving her a warm smile, the gem looked away but for a single moment, she displayed a small smile… she was back.

 **Hello guys! I hope you're enjoying our story and we wanted to thank you for all the reviews, favs and follows, you're becoming so many and your appreciation is really important for us, sorry for the delay but, well, always the same old excuse, school and stuff but being this my last year it's a little harsh. We hope you liked our idea to take the gems on Homeworld and if you have some complaints, just tell us in the comments, bye! To the next chapter!**


	32. Chapter 32: We can't escape

**CHAPTER 32: WE CAN'T ESCAPE**

"Black… thank you…" Steven whispered reaching the gem and giving her a warm smile, the gem looked away but for a single moment, she displayed a small smile… she was back.

"We need to find the others… it won't take long for Yellow Diamond to decide when the execution will take place…" Black said guiding Steven through the corridors of the prison.

"So… you remember?" Steven asked as Black stopped walking.

"I- I don't… not everything… but I remember what you said me and Pearl told each other… freedom is what is really worth fighting for… I remember her smile when we told each other that… she can't be the monster Yellow Diamond described… I just wish I could remember more…" Black said as they both reached a long corridor.

"Don't worry you will…" Steven said giving her a reassuring smile.

"Steven!" Lapis cried from one of the cells.

"Guys!" Steven yelled back running through the corridor.

"How did you get out?!" Amethyst couldn't help but smile seeing his little buddy was alright.

"Black helped me! She knows Yellow Diamond lied to her! We have to go now!" Steven said passing from cell to cell alongside Black, who deactivated each force field.

"Wait a moment!" Jasper said slamming the thin, black gem against the wall.

"Jasper what are you doing?!" Steven was afraid that Jasper wasn't going to let Black go.

"How can we be sure she won't just betray us?" Jasper said holding Black.

"She's risking her own life for us Jasper! She told me she remembered about the things Pearl told her and that she can't be the monster Yellow Diamond described! I trust her, please don't hurt her!" Steven pleaded, he sighed in relief as Jasper let the smaller gem go.

"Alright… but I won't hesitate to take her down if she tries something…" Jasper said gritting her teeth.

"Wait… where's Pearl?" Steven asked as he noticed the white gem was the only one missing.

 **Meanwhile:**

"It's been a long time…" White Diamond said as Pearl got up, her entire body shaking.

"White Diamond…" Pearl muttered as the imposing gem raised from her throne and started to descend the ladder towards her.

"Oh you remember my name… I'm flattered…" White Diamond chuckled as Pearl stepped back.

"S-stay away! I swear I-I'll…" Pearl said as she hesitantly summoned her spear.

"You won't hurt me Pearl… it's in your nature… after all… I am still your Diamond and you are still my pearl…" White Diamond said reaching the end of the stairs.

"That's not true! I'm not yours! I am my own gem now!" Pearl said raising her spear towards the approaching gem.

"And who told you that?" White Diamond said, a pitiful smile on her face.

"W-what?" Pearl asked, her hands were trembling as the Homeworld leader became nearer and nearer.

"You know what I mean right? You aren't really convinced of those things isn't it Pearl? Those were just lies that someone told you… just another order to follow… to believe that you're something you're not…" White Diamond stopped right in front of Pearl, the point of her spear touching her chest.

"T-that's not true! I-I rebelled!" Pearl said, her voice was cracking.

"Yes… you preferred to follow her orders… because you loved her, but now she's gone… and you're alone again…" White Diamond chuckled as tears started to form in Pearl's eyes.

"I-I'm not alone… S-Steven-" Pearl tried to speak but White Diamond cut her off.

"That creature isn't her… and he will never be what you need him to be…" White Diamond slowly raised her hand and moved Pearl's spear away from her chest.

"H-he, h-he…" Pearl's cheeks were wet with tears by that point.

"But I can be what you have been searching for a long time… I can guide you Pearl, you're a wonderful gem, you have impressed me, you have inspired me… be my pearl…" White Diamond cupped Pearl's cheek and wiped away her tears.

"I-I-" Pearl's eyes became wide as she was taken in an embrace.

"You're safe my pearl… you're finally at home…" White Diamond whispered, but was taken aback when Pearl pushed her away.

"N-no! I will never be your slave! Not again! I'm strong now! I decide for myself! I choose my destiny! Not you nor any other gem!" Pearl didn't have time to react, she was backslapped and ended up on the ground.

"I can see there's still some of her idiocy in you… I'll eradicate that and then you'll come back to me…" White Diamond said turning around as the two quartzes entered the room and took Pearl away towards the prison.

"We'll have fun with you worthless defect." The first quartz hissed opening the dungeon's door.

"What the-" The second one was met with punch to her face while the other's chest was pierced by a halberd. Both of them disappeared into clouds.

"Pearl!" Steven yelled happily running towards the gem and embracing her tightly.

"Steven! Are you hurt?! Did they do something bad to you?! Let me see!" Pearl said frenetically as she checked him for injures.

"I'm okay Pearl! Black helped me!" Steven said giggling as Pearl looked between all of her comrades and noticed Black, she slowly got up and approached the gem, suddenly taking her in a tight embrace.

"I know you would remember!" Pearl cried happily as Black hugged her back, she remembered, finally she remembered.

"We have to get out of here, we should be able to reach an hangar and from there we should be able to take a ship, Peridot is able to make it fly aren't you?" Jasper said placing her hand on Peridot's shoulder.

"S-sure! I'm a technician, it will be no match for me!" Peridot said, pride rising in her voice, with all her friends, she finally found the courage to fight.

"Wait…" Lapis said as everyone turned around, she wasn't following them.

"Lapis what's wrong?" Steven asked as he approached the blue gem, she had her arms crossed and her gaze was fixed on the ground.

"I can't come… not yet… I have something to do first…" Lapis said watching eyeing the dungeon's door.

"What are you talking about? Yellow Diamond is going to destroy all of us if we don't escape!" Jet said looking around, many guards would have arrived shortly.

"And then what?! We'll escape but Homeworld will find us again, no matter where we go… it will never end, we can't escape… unless we put an end to all of this…" Lapis said marching towards the door.

"What?! If you hadn't noticed we are eight gems and one hybrid and the Homeworld's gems are thousands of thousands!" Peridot said waving her arms in the air.

"I have a plan… but I need to reach Yellow Diamond's chambers…" Lapis said.

"Lapis there's no time to-" Pearl was cut off by Black.

"I'll go with her…" Black said as everyone turned towards her.

"Black… no…" Pearl said as Black gave her a small smile.

"You have to protect Steven and prepare a ship, I'm not as important as any of you, we'll pass unnoticed if we are in two… I'll help Lapis, you find a ship and wait for us at the hangar gate." Black said following Lapis.

"B-but!" Pearl tried to protest but Black and Lapis were already gone.

"Pearl, we have to go…" Ruby said as she took hold of Sapphire's hand, both of them smiling to each other as they twirled around for some moments before being engulfed in a bright light and becoming Garnet.

"Come on…" Garnet said placing her hand on Pearl's shoulder, each of the gems passing through the dungeon's door.


	33. Chapter 33: An old friend

**CHAPTER 33: AN OLD FRIEND**

"Pearl, we have to go…" Ruby said as she took hold of Sapphire's hand, both of them smiling to each other as they twirled around for some moments before being engulfed in a bright light and becoming Garnet.

"Come on…" Garnet said placing her hand on Pearl's shoulder, each of the gems passing through the dungeon's door.

"Garnet… are they going to be okay?" Steven asked as he watched Lapis and Black rushing through a corridor and disappearing behind its corner.

"Lapis knows what she's doing, and Black is a powerful warrior, Yellow Diamond's guards have no chance against them…" Garnet reassured placing her hand on the young boy's shoulder.

"Right now, we have to come up with a plan…" Garnet said gesturing to the remaining gems to gather around her.

"What kind of plan could save us from this situation?!" Peridot hissed in a low voice, despite that, it was quite clear that she was panicking.

"Now let's all calm down, Yellow Diamond's guards still haven't noticed we have escaped, so, for now, we're safe…" Garnet said calmly, it was impressive how she managed to remain calm during this kind of situations.

"G, I know you're trying to reassure us, but we are in a Diamond's palace, surrounded by thousands of thousands of Homeworld's gems, we don't stand a chance against them!" Amethyst said as Garnet lowered her head.

"You're right…" Garnet whispered gritting her teeth.

"We don't need to fight." Jet said as everyone looked at her.

"What do you mean?" Pearl asked.

"If we put up a fight, we would never win, they are too many so our only chance is to find a ship that can bring us home… Peridot, do you think you could fly one of those ships?" Jet asked, there was still hope.

"Of course I can… but, Lapis is right, even if it's possible for us to retrieve a ship and escape Homeworld, they would immediately notice our absence, and let's not talk about an unauthorized take off from one of the Homeworld's leaders palace… we can't even escape!" Peridot pulled at her own hair in frustration.

"Stop that! It's no use! They are going to hear us!" Pearl said stopping Peridot from hurting herself.

"Wait a minute… they are going to hear us… of course!" Steven said raising his fists in the air.

"Ehm, what?" Pearl asked as everyone turned towards Steven.

"Don't you remember what Lapis said? That we could run away and that she had something to do… I think she wants to do something that will allow us to escape without the problem of having Homeworld right behind us! We just have to give her time!" Steven said as Garnet kneeled in front of him.

"What do you propose to do?" Garnet asked, displaying a reassuring smile.

"Okay, I know it's dangerous but we have to try, Yellow Diamond's chamber are surely going to be very well guarded, even if Lapis and Black are strong they won't be able to pass unnoticed, unless there was something that caught the attention of all the guards of the palace…" Steven said with a little less confidence.

"Are you suggesting to let the guards spot us so that all of them would follow us and leave Lapis and Black free to do what they have to do?" Garnet asked.

"Well… yes." Steven whispered shyly.

"WHAT?! Are you serious?! They are going to shatter us before we can reach the hangar!" Peridot said, but looking around she noticed she was the only who seemed upset.

"I'm in, if I'm going to die, I want to do it fighting and not escaping…" Jasper said crossing her arms.

"Many times we didn't listen to Steven and his plans, this time it'll be different, Lapis is our only chance to escape this place, we have to empty the upper part of Yellow Diamond's palace so that she'll be able to wander freely." Garnet said as everyone nodded.

"B-but…" Peridot was clearly scared, this until Garnet touched her shoulder.

"Peridot, we don't know this palace, we haven't been on Homeworld for a long time, but you and Jasper surely know it, you have to guide us through these corridors, do you think you can do it?" Garnet asked, Peridot remained silent for a moment, then, fear left and confidence appeared on her face.

"I can do it!" Peridot said, each gem nodded and began to move through the corridor.

"Right now we are in the main corridor to the dungeon's entrance, from here we can reach a circular room that acts as a sentry post, there we'll be able to get noticed and then we'll just have to reach the hangar and hope that Lapis's plan has worked, whatever she's trying to do…" Peridot explained as she formed her holographic interface which showed a map of Yellow Diamond palace's corridors.

"Garnet? D-do you… do you see any future in which we survive? In which at least Steven survives?" Pearl asked as they all began to follow Peridot.

"I can't tell you Pearl…" Garnet said as Pearl's eyes widened in concern.

"W-why?" Pearl asked, her voice trembling.

"Because I choose not to watch…" Garnet replayed as Peridot raised her hand, signaling to stop.

"Alright, here we are, I, I just want to say something before we do this, it might be as well the end of all of us so, I wanted to thank you all, before all of this happened I was just a number here on Homeworld, thanks to Steven and all of you, for the first time in my life I felt like I was… unique… so well, thank you…" Peridot said, slightly blushing.

"You're welcome Peridot…" Steven said smiling at the green gem.

"Aww you're so cute when you blush!" Jasper whispered holding her stomach.

"I'm not blushing!" Peridot replayed angrily.

"Guys, it's not the time for quarrelling, let's distract the guards!" Steven said as all of the gems moved towards the entrance of the circular room.

"I'm going to enjoy the end of those filthy rebels!" A citrine guard said to a blue chalcedony to her left.

"They are finally going to pay for what they have done to my Diamond…" The blue chalcedony hissed through her teeth.

"Hey you clods!" Peridot yelled from the entrance of the room.

"What?! It's impossible! They can't have gotten past the fields!" The citrine said in disbelief as the rebel gems rushed towards one of the exists of the room.

"Alert all of the guards!" The blue chalcedony yelled as she began to chase the gems.

 **Meanwhile:**

"We won't ever make it through those guards, they are ten and we are two gems, one of which can't even fight since we're not even close to a fount of water… what can we do?" Black whispered as she looked at the great door that leaded to Yellow Diamond's apartments, guarded by ten, bulky quartz sentinels.

"I don't know… I didn't expect it to be so well guarded, wait, what's happening?" Lapis asked as she noticed one of the guards raising a rhomboidal device and suddenly screaming to the other guards to follow her, in a second they were all gone.

"Oh my… do you think the others got discovered?" Black asked as Lapis started to move towards through the corridor.

"I think they did it so that we could enter the Yellow Diamond's chambers freely… we have to move, I don't know how much time they have left…" Lapis said as, alongside Black, she pushed the door open.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Black asked as they began to look around the large room.

"A blue mirror, with a gem embedded in its back." Lapis said as suddenly she raised her hand.

"What?" Black whispered quickly summoning her sword.

"Do you hear it?" Lapis asked as Black listen closely and began to hear what sounded like muffled sobs.

"It comes from behind that curtain…" Black said pointing at a large, gold curtain at the end of the room.

Slowly, Lapis and Black began to approach the curtain, neither of them was expecting what was hidden behind it, as Black cut it apart, their mouths fell agape in horror as they stared at the thin, fragile body of a pearl with light blue, short hair which covered her eyes. She was lying on the ground, curled up with her cheeks stained with tears, her suit was torn and her body covered in bruises, around her neck was a metal collar attached to a chain which was fixed to the wall behind her. On a small desk behind the poor thing, was a beautiful blue mirror. Lapis rushed towards the chained pearl and kneeled down.

"Please… please just shatter me… I can't take this anymore… please I'm begging you!" The pearl cried.

"Blue…" Lapis murmured as she softly touched the crying gem's shoulder who raised her gaze towards her.

"L-Lapis?" Blue whispered as she raised her hand and slightly brushed Lapis's cheek.

"It's me Blue, don't be scared…" Lapis said placing her own hand on Blue's one.

"Lapis!" Blue yelled as she tightly embraced the gem, letting her tears fall freely.


	34. Chapter 34: Free at last

**CHAPTER 34: FREE AT LAST**

"Please… please just shatter me… I can't take this anymore… please I'm begging you!" The pearl cried.

"Blue…" Lapis murmured as she softly touched the crying gem's shoulder who raised her gaze towards her.

"L-Lapis?" Blue whispered as she raised her hand and slightly brushed Lapis's cheek.

"It's me Blue, don't be scared…" Lapis said placing her own hand on Blue's one.

"Lapis!" Blue yelled as she tightly embraced the gem, letting her tears fall freely.

"Do you know this gem?" Black asked moving behind her and cutting the chain with a powerful slash.

"Being an aristocratic and well, Blue Diamond's 'daughter', I was often around her, and around Blue, I was the only one allowed to speak to her, I couldn't wander freely or talk to every gem so, we ended up being each other's only friend…" Lapis said stroking the blue pearl's hair, trying to calm her down.

"Please tell me you're really here…" Blue said between hiccups.

"What have they done to you?" Lapis asked as she freed the pearl from her collar.

"She… Yellow Diamond… s-she k-kept coming and coming a-and coming, every day s-she would come here and, a-and torture me in front of t-that mirror… s-she made me… s-she… oh please Lapis forgive me! She made me shapeshift into you and tortured me i-in front o-of that m-mirror to make h-her suffer e-even m-more… I didn't want to! She said she would have broken her if I didn't! P-please f-forgive me…" Blue said as she kept crying.

"Shhhhh, it's not your fault Blue, this ends now… can you stand up?" Lapis asked, Blue nodded and they both stood up, Lapis supporting the weakened gem.

"What are you going to do?" Black asked as Lapis moved towards the desk and took the mirror in her hands.

"I'm going to make her free…" Lapis said as she turned the mirror around and placed her hand on the great, rhomboidal gem embedded in it.

As Lapis started to pull, cracks began to spread on the surface of the mirror, soon, she would have met her mother again, would she still remember her? Would she help her? Millions of doubts began to assail Lapis's mind as the gem was finally detached from her prison, a bright light engulfing it. A massive silhouette began to form around the blue gem, a long, blue cloak covering it. After some moments, the massive, fully formed gem, was laying on the ground, breathing heavily. None of the gems knew what to do, Lapis was the first one to move, she moved towards the gem and kneeled in front of her. Sensing a presence, Blue Diamond immediately raised her head, only to meet Lapis's face, already stained with tears.

"Lapis… m-my dear, dear Lapis…" Blue Diamond whispered placing her hand on Lapis's cheek.

"I'm here mother… I came back for you…" Lapis said taking her mother's hand with hers.

"I was a-afraid I would n-never see you again…" Blue Diamond said showing one of her rare smiles.

"Me too!" Lapis cried in happiness.

"W-what are you d-doing here?! Yellow Diamond might come back at any moment now, you must escape!" Blue Diamond said as she started to stand up.

"Mother please you have to listen to me!" Lapis said, she knew she and the others would have never been able to escape without her help, she needed Blue Diamond to know what was happening, so she told her about the Earth, how she met Rose Quartz's offspring, how Steven healed her gem and allowed her to return home, how she saved him and the rebels fusing with a Jasper and chaining her at the bottom of the ocean, how she joined the Crystal Gems and was captured by Yellow Diamond and White Diamond, how the Homeworld's leaders wanted to execute her and her friends and how now she needed her mother more than ever.

"Lapis…" Blue Diamond said, Lapis didn't know what she would have said to her, she had just revealed her mother she has taken part of the rebellion and now asked for her help to fight the Diamonds.

"Mother please! I'm begging you! You have to help us… without you we will never be able to return home… I understand this goes against who you are but-" Lapis was silenced by a large finger which covered her mouth.

"I lost you once… no one will take you away from me ever again… and don't talk to me as if I still am part of the Diamonds… when Yellow Diamond imprisoned me in the mirror, she and White told my armies that I had been destroyed by the rebels, so that they could gain and add my soldiers to theirs, avoiding a revolution… this will change now… my gems might be less numerous than White and Yellow's ones… but I have a plan… go reach your friends Lapis… I have a score to settle with both of my sisters…" Blue Diamond said as she gestured her pearl to follow her.

"Promise me you'll stay safe." Blue said holding Lapis's hands.

"I promise… stay safe too." Lapis said hugging the pearl.

"Pearl, let's go, I'll need your assistance…" Blue Diamond said as Blue started to follow her.

"W-wait! What are you going to do?" Lapis asked, her mother was still weak from her imprisonment, she couldn't have defeated two diamonds on her own, but this wasn't Blue Diamond's plan.

"Don't worry Lapis… I'm still a Diamond gem, I'll be safe, now go!" Blue Diamond said as both Lapis and Black started to run away from Yellow Diamond's chamber.

"Good luck my dear…" Blue Diamond whispered as she too left the room alongside Blue.

 **Meanwhile:**

"Peridot! How much 'till we reach the reactor?!" Garnet said as they all ran through Yellow Diamond palace's corridors, the yells of the guards becoming nearer and nearer behind them.

"A few hundred meters!" Peridot answered tapping frenetically on her holographic interface.

"I hate this palace!" Steven said, his shirt almost completely soaked in sweat.

"Is there any chance we could manage to slow them down?!" Jet asked.

"No! I can't… wait! Not far from here, there's an emergency shut door, it should be strong enough to hold back those guards enough to allow us to escape!" Peridot said, they just had to reach that door and they would be safe.

"Traitors!" A quartz yelled from behind them, it was getting nearer and nearer to the group.

"Oh gosh oh gosh oh gosh!" Steven yelled, the quartz had almost reached him, her hand was stretched forward, ready to catch him, instead of being grasped, Steven heard a loud yell, Black appeared from another corridor and slammed the quartz into the near wall, thrusting her with her sword.

"Guys! You're back!" Steven shouted happily as Lapis and Black began to follow the others.

"Did you manage to do what you had to?!" Pearl asked as Lapis reached her side.

"Yes, we just have to wait for her help!" Lapis said as all of the gems slightly turned their heads towards Lapis.

"Who is going to help us?" Jasper asked suspiciously.

"Blue Diamond…" Lapis answered gaining a gasp from each of the gems.

"Blue Diamond?!" Peridot shrieked in disbelief.

"I freed her, Yellow Diamond had captured her during the rebellion, she tricked her armies into believing the rebels had destroyed her, she told me she's going to help us, we just have to resist until that help comes!" Lapis answered, no one really believed another diamond would really help them, maybe Lapis, since her bond with the gem matriarch, but them? Rebels from the Rose Quartz's rebellion?

"Just trust me! She will help us!" Lapis said as they reached a long, straight corridor at the end of which a large, opened door could be seen.

"That's the security door!" Peridot said as all of them ran as fast as they could, safety was at reach of hand… there was only one problem, it would have had a cost.

"No… no! Damn it!" Peridot yelled punching the wall.

"What's wrong?!" Lapis asked, they couldn't stop for long, the quartzes were near.

"It's a safety door! It can only be closed and opened from the inside!" Peridot could feel a trail of tears running down her cheeks, they would have never outran the guards, not all of them, without this door, they wouldn't have survived.

"We can still reach the hangar! I'll carry Steven come one!" Jet said raising Steven from the ground.

"Come on!" Garnet said as everyone rushed across the door, everyone but one gem.

"Black? Black what are you doing?!" Pearl shouted as she noticed Black was following them… she was staying in front of the door's panel.


	35. Chapter 35: Sacrifice

**CHAPTER 35: SACRIFICE**

"It's a safety door! It can only be closed and opened from the inside!" Peridot could feel a trail of tears running down her cheeks, they would have never outran the guards, not all of them, without this door, they wouldn't have survived.

"We can still reach the hangar! I'll carry Steven come one!" Jet said raising Steven from the ground.

"Come on!" Garnet said as everyone rushed across the door, everyone but one gem.

"Black? Black what are you doing?!" Pearl shouted as she noticed Black was following them… she was staying in front of the door's panel.

 **Meanwhile:**

"What?! Stay here Pearl… I have something to do…" Yellow Diamond hissed through her teeth as she received a message on the holographic interface of her throne. As she stood up and began to stomp towards the exit of the room, her pearl started to follow her.

"M-my Diamond? May I know w-what is troubling y-you?" Yellow Pearl asked cautiously in a trembling voice.

"Those filthy, defective rebels managed to escape from the dungeon!" Yellow Diamond yelled furiously as she punched the wall near to the exit door, making large cracks spread along it.

"M-my Diamond! Please do not tire yourself! Your gem is still cracked!" Yellow Pearl said as Yellow Diamond gripped her chest tightly, grunting in pain.

"You're such a good pearl… always worried about your master… but don't worry, as soon as I'll find those rebels, I'll rip what I need to be cured from the corpse of Rose Quartz's offspring…" Yellow Diamond muttered in pain as she opened the door and disappeared behind it.

Fear was something Yellow Pearl hasn't felt for a long time, of course her master could become pretty terrifying when something she planned went wrong, but she never feared for her own life, she was a good pearl and she kept repeating it to herself all the time, if she would continue to be good, Yellow Diamond would have never let anything bad happen to her, she wouldn't even get tired of her like she did with her other pearls. Yellow Pearl was sure of that, or at least, that was what she tried to believe, what she had to believe.

"I hope nothing bad will happen to her…" Yellow Pearl said to herself, she became really convincing with time.

"If that is your wish, than I'm afraid it won't be granted…" A voice said from outside the door.

"Who's th-" Yellow Pearl didn't have the time to finish her sentence, the door was swung open, hitting her and making her fall to the ground, as she raised her gaze, her face became white, over her, was towering Blue Diamond, the gem she enjoyed seeing being tortured by her master, or at least, she tried to show contempt in what Yellow Diamond did to her and her pearl while she was imprisoned in that mirror.

"You…" Blue Diamond whispered as she stepped forwards.

"Please! Please my diamond don't punish me! I didn't mean to do that!" Yellow Pearl pleaded as a giant hand gripped her by her neck and raised her in the air.

"I'm not your diamond… I would have broken you a long time ago if I were…" Blue Diamond said as she gripped Yellow Pearl's neck tighter.

"Please no! No! Don't do this! It wasn't my fault! I never enjoyed what my master did to you and your pearl! I had to show contempt or she would have thought I was defective! Please! I hate being her servant I swear it! I don't care if she dies! Please just don't hurt me! Let me live!" Yellow Pearl was crying hysterically at this point, she has never been so afraid in all her life.

"So eager to betray your master only to save your life, pathetic, you are really a defective gem… but I'm not interested in insects like you… unlock her interface… now…" Blue Diamond said throwing Yellow Pearl to the ground.

"Y-yes…" Yellow Pearl started to limp towards Yellow Diamond's throne, followed by Blue Diamond and her pearl. As her leader's servant, she was the only gem who knew the password to unlock her master's holographic database, if her diamond would ever discover about this, Yellow Pearl would have had a very short life, but she didn't care, if it meant to stay alive for another day, she would have betrayed her master.

"My Diamond… what are you going to do?" Blue Pearl asked as Blue Diamond sat on Yellow Diamond's throne and brought the interface in front of her face.

"I'm going to reveal the truth my pearl…" Blue Diamond answered as she began to tap on the interface, soon, a message appeared on the yellow screen, it said 'initializing global communication', both Blue and Yellow Pearl realized what Blue Diamond was going to do.

"Gems of Homeworld which used to serve the long lost leader Blue Diamond, I have a communication for you all…" As Blue Diamond spoke, the message was broadcasted all over Homeworld, every speaker, every screen, it displayed Blue Diamond's face and communicated her words.

"You have been fooled by the wicked, defective minds of the remaining gem matriarchs, I am still alive, I wasn't kill by the rebels, Yellow Diamond trapped me and tricked you into believing I was dead, only to enlarge the numbers of her armies and the ones of White Diamond. Now… if there are still gems loyal to me on this planet, help me gain my revenge and take back what's mine…" Blue Diamond's words hit in a way nothing else could do, in fact, in the exact moment those words were said, a war started.

"We have one last task to accomplish…" Blue Diamond said as she stood up from the throne.

"My diamond?" Blue Pearl asked reaching her master's side.

"My gems may be strong, but they will never win, but there's still hope, to clear the universe from our mistakes and save ourselves… do you trust me Pearl?" Blue Diamond asked crouching down in front of Blue Pearl.

"Of course my diamond… I would never doubt you!" Blue Pearl answered.

"Let's go then…" Blue Diamond was going to exit the room but an annoying voice stopped her.

"Wait! Please wait!" Yellow Pearl yelled trying to reach the two gems.

"What is it now?" Blue Diamond had to repress the will to simply stomp this annoying fly.

"Please take me with you!" Yellow Pearl was desperate.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Blue Diamond asked, quietly irritated by the gem's behavior.

"No! When Yellow Diamond will discover about this… s-she… she will, oh please I can't face it! Please take me with you! I never enjoyed staying here! I-I would be a g-good servant! I would never f-fail you, I promise!" Yellow Pearl was indeed really pathetic.

"My diamond… I know I shouldn't do this… a pearl isn't supposed to manifest her own ideas… I… I must be defective too… but… I don't think you should let this gem die… she had to live the entirety of her life being afraid, she had to serve a master she never really loved… it's a miserable life that made a gem who could be great become like this… save her… please…" Blue Pearl spoke in a low tone, she didn't know why she was saying this, maybe it was because she felt sympathetic towards the ones of her own kind, maybe because she understood fear more than anyone else and didn't want anyone to live a life dominated by it, but she just couldn't let that gem die. Blue Diamond didn't say anything, she just nodded slightly and opened the door, all of them leaving the room.

 **Meanwhile:**

Pearl was standing still, her eyes filled with terror as she watched her friend staring at the panel near to the door, Black wasn't following them, all of the gems realized what she was going to do. The yells of the quartz guards resonated more and more strong in the corridor until the first one appeared from the corner, followed by countless others.

"Black! What are you doing?!" Pearl yelled as she stepped forward.

"You'll never be able to escape if they won't be stopped in some way…" Black raised her gaze towards Pearl, a small tear streamed down her cheek, although she was smiling.

"Black… no… please…" Pearl whispered stretching her arm forwards.

"Remember Pearl… fight for your freedom… that's what is really worth sacrificing ourselves for…" Black said before placing her hand on the panel, the door quickly shutting in front of her.

"No!" Pearl cried as she rushed towards the door, too late, it was already closed.


	36. Chapter 36: The titan appears

**CHAPTER 36: THE TITAN APPEARS**

"Black! What are you doing?!" Pearl yelled as she stepped forward.

"You'll never be able to escape if they won't be stopped in some way…" Black raised her gaze towards Pearl, a small tear streamed down her cheek, although she was smiling.

"Black… no… please…" Pearl whispered stretching her arm forwards.

"Remember Pearl… fight for your freedom… that's what is really worth sacrificing ourselves for…" Black said before placing her hand on the panel, the door quickly shutting in front of her.

"No!" Pearl cried as she rushed towards the door, too late, it was already closed.

"Pearl… we have to go…" Garnet said placing her hand on Pearl's shoulder.

"There must be another way! There… must…" Pearl sobbed clenching her fists.

"Pearl… if we wait… Black's sacrifice will be vain… we must go…" Garnet knew they didn't have time… something she couldn't fully understand was going to happen… but she couldn't see it clearly.

"Come on! The hangar is near!" Peridot said as they all started to follow her.

Pearl would have never forget what Black had done for them… in the end she finally became herself again, the beautiful, caring gem she has always been, and that warm smile, it would have accompanied Pearl for all her life, it would have been her strength, during the dark days that would come.

"I sincerely expected more from you, my pearl…" Yellow Diamond made her way through the guards.

"I'm not your pearl anymore… I'm my own gem…" Black answered sternly.

"You pathetic defect… what do you think you're doing?! They won't escape! Move away… you're just a servant, I'm your master, obey!" Yellow Diamond yelled, but Black remained still.

"You're not my master, I control my own life now and my choices are only mine… and I chose this." Black said summoning her sword and slicing in two the control panel.

"You… you're going to pay for getting in my way… you could have done so much by my side…" Yellow Diamond hissed summoning her own sword.

"I'd rather die protecting the ones I love than live by the side of a monster like you…" Black said raising her sword.

"As you wish…" Yellow Diamond made a gesture with her hand, the second after… all of the quartzes charged towards Black.

"We're here!" Peridot said, they all reached a circular room with one only exit, a large, mechanical door, the one leading to the hangar.

"Perfect, we'll just have to-" Jasper was interrupted by the sound of the door opening.

"W-what?" Peridot muttered in disbelief as the door became fully opened, revealing a tall figure which stepped towards them.

"So this was your plan? To fly away? Cowards just like your deceased leader…" White Diamond revealed herself, snickering evilly as she made her way towards the gems.

"You're not even worthy to say her name!" Pearl shouted back.

"What insolence from a gem of your kind, pearls like you should obey their mast-" White Diamond was taken aback when one of Pearl spear's energy blasts hit her in the face, leaving a burnt mark on her left cheek.

"You little, broken, disgusting, worthless defect of a gem! I'll make you pay for this!" White Diamond yelled summoning a large, white, shining halberd from her gem, as she charged towards Pearl.

"Pearl watch out!" Peridot said morphing her hand into her blaster and quickly shooting at the diamond's legs, she didn't even see it coming, rage was making her blind.

The blast hit White Diamond in her right leg, making her stumble to the ground, as soon as she stood up, one of Garnet's gauntlets hit her in the face and before she could even understand what hit her, Jasper spin dashed towards her and crushed into the diamond's stomach, making her stumble and fall against the wall behind her.

"Peridot! Quick! Find a ship and prepare it! We don't have time… something is coming… I can't say what, but we're running out of time, take Steven with you!" Garnet yelled as the green gem nodded.

"But I want to help you!" Steven protested.

"I know you want Steven… but this is a Diamond and she's the most dangerous enemy we have ever faced, we can't risk to lose you, you've just regenerated from a mortal blow and I can't tell you haven't still fully recovered, I need you to follow Peridot… can you do that for me?" Garnet said, Steven knew it was the right thing to do, both him and Peridot quickly ran past White Diamond, who slowly began to stand up.

"Jet, I need you to protect them, if some guards reach them, they'll need someone to protect them…" Jet quickly nodded and followed Steven and Peridot.

"You filthy traitors! You're nothing compared to me!" White Diamond charged another time.

This time, as she swung her halberd towards the gems, they all managed to dodge the attack, quickly getting behind the greater gem, Lapis summoned her water wings and flew towards her, White Diamond tried to catch her but the blue gem was too quick and managed to flew between her legs without being caught. As White Diamond raised her head towards the gems, she was met with another punch by Garnet, she was able to stop it before it could reach her stomach, but she didn't manage to stop Jasper's helmet from crushing against her face. As the diamond backend away holding her face, a burning feeling came to her chest as both Pearl and Jet jumped towards her and slashed her chest with their halberd and spear. White Diamond stumbled back and fell to the ground.

"Not so defective aren't we?" Pearl asked breathing heavily as the diamond tried to stand up but fell to her knees.

"Y-you… you c-can't defeat… me…" White Diamond may be a diamond, but when many gems stood against her with their hearts put together, she couldn't do anything but succumb.

"You're wrong my dear sister… it's something I had to experience on my skin…" Yellow Diamond spoke in low, distorted tone of voice, she held her hand in front of her and let a few fragments of a black gem fall to the ground.

"No… no! You're a monster!" Pearl cried as she was held back by Garnet.

"Yellow Diamond…" The gems hissed as the Homeworld's leader made her way towards her sister and raised her from the ground.

"You see, we might be strong, but these rebels will always be more than us… but even if they were thousands they wouldn't stand a chance against a titan…" Yellow Diamond showed a distorted, wicked grin as her sister nodded, she would have done anything in order not to be defeated, even betray her own ideals.

"No… no! Stop them!" Garnet yelled, it was too late, Yellow Diamond took White Diamond's hands in hers and made a few, quick steps before twirling her one time. Before the gems could reach them, they were blinded by a powerful, bright light… the titan appeared… the gems acted as fast as they could to counterattack.


	37. Chapter 37: The Matriarch

**CHAPTER 37: THE MATRIARCH**

"Y-you… you c-can't defeat… me…" White Diamond may be a diamond, but when many gems stood against her with their hearts put together, she couldn't do anything but succumb.

"You're wrong my dear sister… it's something I had to experience on my skin…" Yellow Diamond spoke in low, distorted tone of voice, she held her hand in front of her and let a few fragments of a black gem fall to the ground.

"No… no! You're a monster!" Pearl cried as she was held back by Garnet.

"Yellow Diamond…" The gems hissed as the Homeworld's leader made her way towards her sister and raised her from the ground.

"You see, we might be strong, but these rebels will always be more than us… but even if they were thousands they wouldn't stand a chance against a titan…" Yellow Diamond showed a distorted, wicked grin as her sister nodded, she would have done anything in order not to be defeated, even betray her own ideals.

"No… no! Stop them!" Garnet yelled, it was too late, Yellow Diamond took White Diamond's hands in hers and made a few, quick steps before twirling her one time. Before the gems could reach them, they were blinded by a powerful, bright light… the titan appeared… the gems acted as fast as they could to counterattack.

"We… are… the Matriarch Diamond!" The gigantic fusion cried as she stood almighty, she was slightly taller than Alexandrite and wore a long, golden cloak, under it, she displayed a white bodysuit, a yellow belt around her waist and white gloves which covered her four hands. Her skin was of a bright, light yellow and she displayed two, great rhomboidal gems, one embedded in her forehead and one in her chest.

"Take this!" The gems managed to form Alexandrite before Yellow Diamond and White Diamond's fusion was complete, she charged at her and tried to hit her. The Matriarch Diamond didn't waste time, she quickly dodged the punch and kicked Alexandrite right in her stomach, making her fly against the chamber's wall.

"Is this the best you Crystal Gems can do? Pathetic!" The Matriarch Diamond laughed as she charged towards Alexandrite and before she could stand up, she raised her by her mane and punched her right in the face, breaking her visor, she tried to punch her again but Alexandrite managed to block her blow and hit her in the stomach, making her step back.

"What about this?" Alexandrite said placing her hands on the gem embedded in her forehead, pulling out a long saber from it, composed by Amethyst whip's handle as it's handle, Garnet gauntlets as hilt and Pearl spear's tip as blade.

"That won't help you…" The Matriarch Diamond chuckled darkly as she pulled out from the gem embedded on her chest a long, winged spear.

"I will erase you from this universe, your only presence here is a despicable sin and-" The raging fusion didn't manage to end her monologue, a pair of giant green arms blocked her from behind and Alexandrite didn't hesitate to unleash a blow of her weapon upon the enemy. The Matriarch Diamond managed to get her head out of the way, but the blade sunk down in her shoulder. Letting out a loud scream of pain, the fusion elbowed the one who was withholding her and stepped back. In front of her, there were two fusions, the one who held her had six arms, greenish skin and a great, white mane of hair.

"Thank you…" Alexandrite murmured as Malachite slowly nodded before the two of them charged towards the common enemy.

Malachite was the first one to reach the enemy fusion, she summoned two giants water wings and quickly flew towards her, hitting with both of her fists the rod of her spear, cracking it. Alexandrite quickly followed behind, sliding below Malachite and uppercutting the diamond fusion.

"Enough of this!" The Matriarch Diamond cried as she suddenly emitted a large blast of light from the gem embedded in her forehead.

The bright light immediately blinded both Malachite and Alexandrite, who stepped back, arms covering their eyes. Alexandrite was the first one to regain sight, she looked in horror at the fellow fusion who had being pierced through her chest by the diamond fusion's spear. She quickly disappeared into clouds leaving Lapis and Jasper unconscious on the ground and before Alexandrite could react, she was kicked to the ground, the Matriarch Diamond towering over her, her spear pointed to the round gem on her forehead.

"You didn't stand a chance against me… you should have stayed hidden on that pitiful rock and wait for your death, but you had to destroy my cluster and ruin everything I worked for during all these years… but you know… in the end, it was the right thing to do, at least now I can destroy you while I look right into your eyes…" The Matriarch pressed her foot on Alexandrite's chest to hold her steady before departing the final blow.

"It doesn't matter if you destroy us! Steven is safe! That's what matters!" Alexandrite shouted angrily.

"It won't be hard to reach him and take him back here, you didn't save anyone… in the end I'll get my revenge and Rose Quartz and everything she fought for will vanish into nothing! You failed… do you have any last words?" The Matriarch said showing a wicked, evil smile.

"Y-you really should f-focus more on what you're t-trying to accomplish and less on y-your monologues…" Alexandrite smiled weakly.

"What? What are y-" The Matriarch Gem didn't have time to end her sentence, suddenly, the tip of a bright, blue spear, pierced through the gem on her forehead, completely trespassing it and sticking into the wall in front of her. Blue Diamond quickly reached Alexandrite who immediately defused.

"Y-you saved us!" Pearl cried in disbelief as the former Homeworld's leader approached them, Lapis and Jasper, who regained consciousness, following behind.

"I may not share your or Rose Quartz's feelings about the Earth, but I won't ever let anyone hurt my daughter or the ones who saved her…" Blue Diamond said turning towards the diamond fusion, whose body was now completely covered in bright cracks.

"You have to hurry, Yellow Diamond's gem was already damaged and I just damaged White Diamond's one, the fusion is going to collapse, we have to leave the room…" Blue Diamond said as all of them gems rushed towards the door which leaded towards the hangar.

"D-DAMN Y-YOU C-CRYSTAL G-GEMS!" The Matriarch Diamond cried before a bright light engulfed her and a loud explosion could be heard from the hangar.

 **Hello guys! So, you probably have already guessed that this story is going to end soon, actually, the next chapter will also be the last. We hope you have enjoyed our story so far and that you'll like the finale we have elaborated, thank you for all the favs, the follows, the comments and the appreciation you gave us till now, it really is something important for us because, personally, having even one person who likes our work is something amazing for me, and you are many, many more than one person, so thank you really much and we'll see you in the next and final chapter of Coming Home, I know that maybe some of you would have liked this story to be longer, but simply the story we thought many months ago is at its end, and also the amount of free time we have, or at least that I have, is becoming less and less, with Dark Souls 3 finally in my hands- I mean with the exams becoming nearer and nearer... ehm... well, we hope you enjoyed our story and again thank you for your appreciation, bye!**


	38. Final Chapter: Coming Home

**FINAL CHAPTER: COMING HOME**

"It doesn't matter if you destroy us! Steven is safe! That's what matters!" Alexandrite shouted angrily.

"It won't be hard to reach him and take him back here, you didn't save anyone… in the end I'll get my revenge and Rose Quartz and everything she fought for will vanish into nothing! You failed… do you have any last words?" The Matriarch said showing a wicked, evil smile.

"Y-you really should f-focus more on what you're t-trying to accomplish and less on y-your monologues…" Alexandrite smiled weakly.

"What? What are y-" The Matriarch Gem didn't have time to end her sentence, suddenly, the tip of a bright, blue spear, pierced through the gem on her forehead, completely trespassing it and sticking into the wall in front of her. Blue Diamond quickly reached Alexandrite who immediately defused.

"Y-you saved us!" Pearl cried in disbelief as the former Homeworld's leader approached them, Lapis and Jasper, who regained consciousness, following behind.

"I may not share your or Rose Quartz's feelings about the Earth, but I won't ever let anyone hurt my daughter or the ones who saved her…" Blue Diamond said turning towards the diamond fusion, whose body was now completely covered in bright cracks.

"You have to hurry, Yellow Diamond's gem was already damaged and I just damaged White Diamond's one, the fusion is going to collapse, we have to leave the room…" Blue Diamond said as all of them gems rushed towards the door which leaded towards the hangar. As they all ran away, they turned around only to see the gigantic fusion falling to her knees, holding her head while deep, bright cracks covered her entire body.

"D-DAMN Y-YOU C-CRYSTAL G-GEMS!" The Matriarch Diamond cried before a bright light engulfed her and a loud explosion could be heard from the hangar.

As all of the gems rushed into hangar, they noticed White Diamond's ship and Blue Diamond's one, one on the left side of the room, one on the right, an empty spot remained at the bottom of the room, reserved for the now destroyed ship of Yellow Diamond. A bridge connected White Diamond's ship with the floor of the room, as all of the gems reached the hangar, Peridot, Steven and Jet came out from the ship and reached the group. Before parting, the gems stopped at the center of the room, despite the fact they managed to survive, defeat the Homeworld's leaders fusion and escape from its collapsing form, Lapis noticed something in Blue Diamond's behavior, she was far from being calm, something was wrong, and if this something managed to get a Diamond worried, then it had to be something seriously wrong.

"Mother? What have you done?" Lapis asked as the great gem turned towards her, a worried expression on her face.

"What?" Blue Diamond answered, not giving Lapis really much attention, she looked around as if she was waiting for something to happen.

"While we fought against Yellow and White Diamond… what did you do?" Lapis asked growing concerned.

"I made something that will prevent Homeworld from following and hurting you ever again…" Blue Diamond spoke in a low tone of voice, everyone was getting worried.

"Mother… what… have… you… done?" Lapis asked one last time.

"You probably do not remember about what Homeworld decided to create during the last phase of the rebellion but-" Blue Diamond was interrupted by Peridot.

"Oh my gosh! D-don't tell me you activated the Void!" Peridot immediately covered her mouth, realizing she had just interrupted a Diamond.

"I am afraid that that's what I have done…" Blue Diamond explained lowering her head.

"The Void? What is it?" Lapis asked, sounding confused.

"Do you remember that facility where we retrieved the adapter for our drill machine?" Peridot asked becoming more and more anxious.

"Y-yes, why are you asking me?" Lapis, alongside all of the gems, began to become nervous, what was Blue Diamond talking about?

"Remember how I said that that facility was used by Homeworld to create a weapon that would have reversed the tide of the battle?" Peridot said, wide eyes and breathing heavily.

"Yes, i-is that the Void?!" Lapis asked as Peridot gulped and nodded.

"But w-what does this weapon do?" Steven asked as Blue Diamond raised her head.

"It compresses what is around it at the time of the activation, creating an unimaginable concentration of matter… and consecutively…" Blue Diamond's sentence was ended by a now shocked Pearl.

"A black hole…" Pearl's eyes widened as she understood what was going to happen.

"I managed to communicate on a safe line with my remaining soldiers… they are now escaping from this planet, Yellow and White Diamond's gems must think that they are retreating… they are escaping… if someone is going to judge me, I don't care, I don't have any regrets… this way I'm saving all of you, all of the gems who believes in me and punishing the ones who hurt me and you… I'm going to create a new Homeworld, inhabited by loyal gems, free from White Diamond and Yellow Diamond's wickedness…" Blue Diamond said before crouching in front of Lapis, caressing her cheek.

"Come with me Lapis… together we'll create a new world… we'll create our own empire and we'll take back the greatness that was taken from us a long time ago… we'll have a home again…" Blue Diamond's smile grew sadder as she saw Lapis looking at what was now her family.

"Mother… I will never be thankful enough for what you did for us… for what you did for me… but, I already have a home, and a family that I could never abandon…" Lapis said, tears in her eyes as she smiled at her mother.

"I understand, but just know, that I'll always be with you Lapis…" Blue Diamond kissed her daughter's forehead before standing up.

"You must go now… it's already happening!" She said as cracks began to appear on the walls of the hangar.

"Goodbye Lapis…" Blue said holding her old friend's hands.

"Goodbye Blue, live a happy life, wherever you're going…" Lapis smiled and hugged Blue before parting and following the others.

"Come on! We gotta go!" Garnet yelled as all the gems rushed towards the bridge of White Diamond's ship, while Blue Diamond, alongside Blue Pearl and Yellow Pearl rushed towards Blue Diamond's one.

One by one, all of the gems started to reach the bridge which connected White Diamond's ship to the hangar's floor. First one to reach the inside of the ship was Jasper, the ones closing the line were Peridot and Amethyst. Suddenly a loud crack was heard by everyone… the roof of the hangar had been detached from the structure and a powerful wind began blow in the room. All the gems covered their own faces as they fought against the force which was pulling them back. Peridot was going to stumble backwards but Amethyst caught her hand in time.

"Hang on!" Amethyst shouted holding onto Peridot.

"Thank you!" Peridot said, both of them smiling at each other… but their smiles soon faded as Amethyst's eyes became wide.

"Watch out!" Amethyst cried pulling Peridot towards her, too late however… when Peridot opened her eyes and looked down, she became terrified as she noticed that a hand was grabbing her by her leg.

"Did you really think it would end like that?!" Yellow Diamond laughed maniacally as another loud crack could be heard.

The whole hangar began to fall apart, the first wall to fall was the one on the back of the room, and when it fell, all of the gems remained speechless… there was absolutely nothing in front of them… just darkness… a deep, endless darkness which was trying to swallow them. Yellow Diamond began to raise in the air, Peridot's leg the only lifeline which was keeping her to the ground. Without thinking, before Peridot could be swallowed by the void, Amethyst grabbed Peridot and held her hand as all of the gems did the same, forming a chain.

"You destroyed everything I had! But if I have to die with my empire… then you'll die with me!" Yellow Diamond shouted as Peridot tried to form her blaster but was anticipated by the Homeworld's leader who used her free arm to crush her robotic arm, revealing Peridot's real arm.

"Hold on everyone!" Jasper cried holding everyone with all her strength.

"What's that face Peridot? Afraid of the dark?" Yellow Diamond chuckled evilly… but her laugh soon faded as she noticed Peridot's smirk.

"You grabbed the wrong gem!" Peridot said.

Suddenly, Peridot reached her robotic leg with her free arm and touched it, Yellow Diamond's eyes becoming wide as many yellow lines began to stretch on the robotic limb. It all happened in a moment, Yellow Diamond couldn't even react, Peridot's foot detached itself from her leg and with it, the Homeworld's leader flew away, into the darkness, disappearing forever. Jasper used all of the strength she had left and pulled the gems on board, the large, mechanical entrance door closing behind them.

"Quick! We have to bring Peridot to the control room!" Garnet said as Jet took Peridot in her arms, carrying her and leading everyone to the control room.

As Jet sat Peridot down on the seat in front of the controls, everyone prayed that the technician would have been fast enough to bring them away in time. Luckily, Peridot had already started the ship during the fight against Yellow Diamond and White Diamond's fusion, she just needed to take control of the ship using the holographic panel and the ship began to move.

"We made it!" Steven yelled happily as the ship distanced itself from the large void behind them.

"Congratulations everyone!" Garnet said as all of the gems hugged each other, laughing and sighing in relief, they really managed to do it, they escaped and they would have never had to worry about Homeworld again.

As the ship distanced itself from the long gone planet, Peridot stopped the ship as all of the gems saw that Blue Diamond's ship was in front of theirs. The communication panel displayed a call and all of the gems held their breath as Peridot answered, a large holographic screen forming in front of the gems.

"Here's Blue Diamond, communicating from the third imperial ship, what are your conditions?" Blue Diamond asked.

"A little dented but fine…" Peridot grunted looking at her missing robotic limbs as everyone chuckled.

"Thank you for saving us mother… we won't forget it…" Lapis said smiling as the great gem smiled back.

"I hope you will all find your way and I hope that your life will be happy, now I have to go, me and my gems have a long journey to face and an even more long work to do in order to rebuild our world from nothing, but it's better this way, this time it won't be cruel and corrupted… I have one last request…" Blue Diamond asked as everyone nodded.

"Everything after what you have done for us…" Garnet said.

"Be a good family for my daughter, I don't wish anything else…" Blue Diamond asked.

"Of course! We'll be the perfect family for her!" Steven said happily as both Lapis and Blue Diamond smiled to him.

"Then… I shall leave you to return to your home… goodbye Crystal Gems…" Blue Diamond terminated the call.

As Blue Diamond's ship moved away, Peridot took control of the ship again and set the course for the Earth. All of the gems started to talk about what happened, to laugh and even to cry, after all they've been through a lot, Steven couldn't believe he would have had the chance to see his dad, Lion and Connie again, but it was true, he was going to see them again, and all of them would have been able to see their home again. They were finally going to return, and this time, there would have been nothing to threaten them or their home… and as the ship started to move again, one thought crossed everyone's minds… 'We're coming home'.

 **And so guys, this is the end! We hope you have liked our story, with all of its happy and sad moments. We want to thank you for all the reviews, favs and follows because they have been what made us go on writing this story and because your appreciation has been very important to us. So thank you all again and again and again, we hope you liked our idea for the finale and well… maybe we'll see each other again in another story, bye!**


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